


Remember Tomorrow

by MarmeLady_Orange



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blow Jobs, Dream Sex, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester (in the future), Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Infidelity, M/M, Memory Alteration, Minor Character Death(s), Mutual Masturbation, Original Character Death(s) (Castiel in 2021), Original Character Death(s) (DEAN in 2021), Post-Season/Series 10, Powerful Sam Winchester, Season/Series 10 Spoilers, Set in 2003, Stanford Era, Suicidal Thoughts (mention), Swearing, Time Travel, Witchcraft, not much smut, siblings rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:22:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 33,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarmeLady_Orange/pseuds/MarmeLady_Orange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean went to bed in 2021 but wakes up in the backseat of the Impala in 2003. John and Bobby are alive, Sam is in Stanford and no one has never heard of Castiel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve had this in mind for a while, wrote a bit of it then forgot about it… when I read it again, I thought it’d be interesting enough to share it with you. I hope it is anyway.
> 
> I should be able to update regularly as I already a couple of chapters ready. I’ll still spread them out, only to give me time to write the last of it. ;)
> 
> I know it must have been done a thousand times but… who doesn’t like time traveling stories, right?
> 
> It is canon compliant BUT still set the "starting" year to 2021… This way, I can do whatever I want with Cas and Dean… (sorry for the "Cas death" warning… it is discussed a bit but we don’t "see" it happen.)
> 
> .

Dean woke up alone, sprawled on the backseat of the Impala, orange light peering through the dew covered windows. He opened the door to find he was parked on a gravel road, under the cover of mature trees. He could hear cars driving in the distance, meaning a main road had to be close by.

He tried to remember how he could have gotten there, his efforts tempered by the pulsing ache in his skull. He grabbed the leather bundle he’d apparently been using as a pillow and unfolded it. He gasped when he recognized his dad’s old coat, the same one that had been destroyed beyond repair so many years ago.

He put it on, hoping to cut the morning chill, then climbed behind the wheel. On the passenger side of the seat, he spotted a phone. It wasn’t his current one with the fancy touch screen but a silver flip phone just like the one he used to carry. With a frown he grabbed it and flipped it open. There was a missed call… from his father.

Fingers trembling, he hit the call back button. He expected to hear his dad’s old phone ring from the glove box. But nothing in the car mirrored the ringing of the device he held.

“Hey, Dean,” he heard John say after the upteenth ring. Dean found himself unable to speak but his dad didn’t notice as he kept going. “I know you’re on your way here but there’s something you gotta take care of first.”

“Dad?” Dean hadn’t been able to hold the word or to control the squeak in his voice.

John let out an exasperated breath. “No, Dean, it’s Santa Claus. Focus, would you? You gotta go to Danville, Illinois. Looks like a haunting.”

“But how– ”

“I just know, all right? Now do as I say and call me back once you’re done.”

The line went dead before Dean could explain he hadn’t been about to question the job but rather his father not being dead. He hit the recall button but got sent to voicemail after the first ring. He tried again, this time getting to John’s message without a single ring.

Tempted to throw the phone in the windshield, he instead chose to type in Sam’s number. His heart skipped a beat when he heard an automated message announcing the number hadn’t been assigned.

“What the hell,” he said under his breath as he went through the contacts in the old phone. It was a relief to find his little brother’s number but his heart sunk a little further when he saw the regional code. He could have sworn it was a California one.

“How did you get that number?”

Sam sounded pissed.

“Dean, it’s ass o’clock. You know you’re three hours ahead of me, right?”

“Sam, what’s going on? Where the hell are you?”

Just like their father had done before him, Sam sighed. “Just go to bed, Dean. You’re drunk. And I got an exam in the morning, so– ”

“Jesus, Sam, I’m not drunk. I just woke up in the car in the middle of nowhere. Pretty sure I went to bed in the bunker.”

A groan resounded in the phone. “Dean, I swear to god… go find a motel and sleep it off, whatever it is you took. Just… don’t call again unless it’s important.”

The line went dead. This time Dean did throw the phone, just not hard enough to shatter the device or his Baby’s passenger window. Stricken by a new idea, he leaned to pick up the phone from the floor. Going through the contacts once more, he tried to find someone that could explain that shit to him.

Bobby’s number was the first to come up. And he knew for a fact he hadn’t been transferring his number in his last phones. With a lump in his throat, he selected it. Once again, a voice he never thought he’d ever hear again boomed in his ear.

“Yeah?”

“Bobby? Bobby, is that you?”

“Better be. What’s with the early bird? Need som’thin’?”

“I think I’m losing my fucking mind. You’re supposed to be dead, and my dad too– ”

“What the hell you talkin’ about, boy? I ain’t dead and I talked to your dad two days ago so…”

Even though he didn’t want to see it, the answer still stared Dean right in the face. He took a deep breath and swallowed before talking again.

“Bobby, what year is this?”

“You drunk again?”

“Jeez, what’s everyone saying that for? Just tell me, what’s the date?”

“November 7, 2003.”

“You’re lying.”

“Look, Dean… it’s way too early to drink, so you can bet your ass it’s also much too early for whatever this is. You in trouble?”

“I’m starting to think I am, yeah. I’ll call you later.”

This time, Dean hung up first. He needed a break, and he needed to breathe. Without realizing it, he started to pray. 

“Castiel, I need you, man. Looks like I’ve been sucker punched a couple years back. You gotta bring me home, all right?”

As he called on his lover, Dean looked at himself in the rearview mirror. First thing he noticed was the smoothness of the skin around his eyes. No more crows feet or dark circles.

“Come on, Cas, I know you can hear me. You gotta help me.”

It started as a low rumble, much like an earthquake, but Dean knew better. As the car started to shake, he thought back to his first encounter with the angel in the gas station. Panic rose in his throat when the radio came to life with a high pitch hiss and the windows rattled. Soon, it was like a raging fire burning in his ears.

He kicked the door open and jumped out just as every window exploded, shards flying all around him.

“Cas, you dumb sonofabitch,” he yelled to the skies, still holding his hands over his ears. “I don’t speak angel. Go find Jimmy or something, all right?”

The surroundings became calm again, a soft breeze blowing through the trees. Dean got up from the ground and harrumphed at the sight of the now windowless Impala.

“M’sorry, baby,” he muttered while brushing the shards off the seat. He looked up at the sky and frowned at the sight of dark clouds fast approaching. “Let’s find someone to take care of you before it rains,” he said as he sat behind the wheel.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Dean is to be spending time in Illinois, he might as well go check up on an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Jimmy… and I love Jimmy and Dean interacting… it’s my weakness. (well, one of them anyway).
> 
> I couldn’t resist posting this next chapter so soon after the first one. I’m not a patient person and when it’s there and ready to go, I can’t sit around and wait. Still, I’ll steel myself and do this once a day until the story’s done, unless I can’t write fast enough.
> 
> I really wish I can.
> 
> Thank you so much for the likes and comments, you guys are awesome. I hope the following chapters will make you happy! xx
> 
> .

The first town Dean encountered turned out to be Mt Vernon, Ohio. He hated having someone else take care of his car but Bobby’s place was too far out. He pulled over in a garage that looked half decent, knowing he’d probably have to redo the work anyway.

The guy couldn’t do the job on the spot, asserting it’d take him a few days. However Dean tried to strike a deal, the man wouldn’t budge.

“I don’t have the necessary parts, son,” the older man said. “But if you have business to attend, I can lend you a car.”

Dean shook his head. He’d been about to refuse and drive away when he noticed it had started raining already. “Fuck,” he said under his breath, the throb in his head not getting any better. “All right, but I gotta transfer my stuff,” he said in agreement.

The man nodded, an understanding smile on his lips. “Lemme go get that car for you.”

A couple of minutes later, a white Ford Econoline parked next to the Impala.

“You gotta be shitting me,” Dean said as he walked out. “Is that all you got?”

“Sadly, yeah. We had an ’83 Firebird I could have lent you but my brother wrecked it last week,” he said, giving Dean an apologetic pout. “What can I say, my brother’s an idiot. Anywho… need help transferring your stuff?”

“Nah… if you don’t mind, I’d rather not. I’ll manage just fine.” The mechanic nodded but didn’t move. “On my own?” Dean precised, giving him a pointed look.

“Of course… here are the keys. Just leave yours in the ignition when you’re done.”

Dean did a quick job of taking what he couldn’t hide, making sure to secure the double bottom. Fifteen minutes later, he was parking the white monstrosity at a diner just in the outskirts of town. He sat in the corner booth and opened the map book he had grabbed from the Impala’s glove compartment.

“Hey, hon’. Want some coffee?” 

Dean glanced up to see a woman well in her fifties sporting an orange curly bob. She poured him a cup when he nodded. “Want anything to eat?”

He didn’t need to look at the menu to know what he wanted. These diners all served the same crap. “Two eggs sunny side up, heavy on the bacon. And a short stack.”

“Comin’ right up,” she said with a smile before walking to the kitchen window to yell the order to the cook.

His attention back on the book, he worked on finding the fastest way to Danville. It wasn’t that far out so Dean figured he’d get there late afternoon. If he was lucky at all, he’d be able to come right back the next morning.

It didn’t take long for his breakfast to be put in front of him. He was about to close the book when a thought formed in the back of his mind. He pushed the plate away to look for yet another city in Illinois.

From his experience, he surmised it would take about two hours to get to Pontiac from Danville. With a huff, Dean closed the book and grabbed his fork. If indeed this was 2003, Jimmy hadn’t even heard of Castiel yet. It would take another five years before it happened.

Yet, Dean felt the need to see Cas, if only his vessel. Or maybe he could just wait and hope Cas would contact Jimmy and then come to find him. After all, he had tried to answer to Dean’s prayer, hadn’t he?

After arriving in Danville, Dean remembered what case that had been. He’d done that very salt and burn before and, if it had been easy then, it was even more this time around. He didn’t have to go talk to anyone; he just drove to the cemetery and waited for the sun to set. Three hours later, he walked back to the van while the ghost’s bones burned in their grave.

It wasn’t even midnight when Dean embarked on the highway again. But instead of going back to Mt Vernon, he chose to drive further into Illinois. As expected, it took him less than two hours to reach Pontiac. He could recall where Jimmy’s house had been and it didn’t take him long to find it again. 

Instead of just passing through, he found somewhere to park. Not right in front of the house but close enough so he could keep an eye on it. He knew it wasn’t the angel in there, not yet. But he still felt the need to be somewhat close to him.

Around five thirty, Dean saw the porch light come on. A second later, Jimmy Novak came out the door, dressed in a gray jogging suit. The hunter sunk a bit on the seat, not wanting to be noticed. It seemed to work fine as the dark haired man started to run in the opposite direction.

With a relieved breath, Dean sat straighter. The sun would be up soon, as would be most of the neighborhood. Pretty sure he’d get noticed and cops could be called on his ass, seeing as he drove the perfect-little-rapist-machine. Still, he waited, hoping to see Jimmy once more.

The rattle of knuckles on his window made him jump. He turned around to find none other than Jimmy Novak standing outside his door, frowning. He made a cranking gesture for Dean to lower the window.

“Can I help you?” he said as Dean did.

“Nah… I… I’m just taking a break.”

“Taking a break? On a residential street rather than a truck stop?”

“Yeah, well… I don’t like these places, lots of scary fuckers.” Dean bit his lip when Jimmy’s frown intensified at the curse. “Look, I’m sorry, I’ll go.”

“Please. And if I see you again, I’ll have to call the cops.”

Dean gave the other man a sheepish smile and nodded. “Sorry,” he muttered before driving away. He glanced in the side mirror to look at Castiel’s future vessel as it got smaller and smaller.

It didn’t take long for the lack of sleep to become a problem. He swerved into the parking lot of the first motel he encountered. The Impala wouldn’t be ready before the next day anyway so he certainly could take a day off.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah… maybe God DOES work in mysterious ways!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys… if you’re not up to date with Season 10, you might find this chapter to hold some spoilers. And if it’s not specific spoilers, if you haven’t seen S10 you might not get exactly get what Dean’s thinking of.
> 
> It’ll be worse later, for now it can still be considered vague but… thought I’d warn you anyway. I used tags but I know sometimes I "forget" to check the tags before starting to read a fic. lol
> 
> Please know that even if for now, the story seems to be a bit "Jimmy-centric", Castiel isn’t just a thought, or a souvenir. But how, and when, he’ll be introduced is for me to know and you delicious readers to find out. 
> 
> Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart! You guys are amazing and I can only hope my little story makes you a tiny bit happy! :D
> 
> .

Dean woke up about five hours later. He flattened a hand on his belly, trying to soothe its growling. His mouth watered as he recalled seeing a diner next to the motel. Getting up to go take a shower, he outright laughed when he opened his duffel to find clothes he hadn’t seen since forever. Not that they were that much different from what he still wore eighteen years later.

He walked over to the restaurant and was surprised to find it buzzing with life. It looked like a popular joint. He glanced around and spotted the only free seat over at the counter. He made a beeline for it, promising himself to keep an eye out for any booth opening.

A guy in a stained apron and hairnet dropped a sticky menu in front of him. “Coffee?” he asked, not even waiting for Dean’s response before pouring him a cup. He left without even attempting to take his order.

This time, Dean did look at the menu, even though he very well knew he’d end up having a bacon cheeseburger and fries. He found what he was looking for and, satisfied, closed the menu. He tried to find hairnet guy again, without success.

But he did find something else. Looking back at him were those blue eyes he knew so well. His heart leaped even though the stare wasn’t a warm one. In a second, Jimmy Novak walked up to him again.

“What’s this? Are you following me? Who are you?”

Instead of answering, Dean marveled on the sound of the man’s voice, so similar yet so different from Castiel’s. And he couldn’t look away from the patch of golden skin peaking through Jimmy’s unbuttoned shirt collar.

“Hey, I’m talking to you. What are you doing here?”

Shaking himself out of his daze, Dean smiled. “I swear, man, it’s a coincidence. I followed your advice, found some place else to take a nap.” He turned around to point at the motel that could be seen outside the window. “And I came here when I woke up… there’s nothing more to it than that.”

Jimmy’s suspicious scowl didn’t ease much as he considered Dean. “It’s a hell of a coincidence, if you ask me.”

“Yeah… God works in mysterious ways.”

“Hey! Novak! You comin’ or what?” Both men turned around to see a balding man standing next to Jimmy’s booth.

“I’ll be there soon, Steve. Just go on without me,” Jimmy replied, waving a dismissive hand.

“All right… see you later.” The man turned around and left the restaurant.

“That asshole left me to pay the bill again,” Jimmy said with a falsely annoyed sigh. He turned to Dean. “I’m not done with my lunch. Would you like to join me?”

Only for a second did Dean thought about refusing. But he had been hoping to sit in a booth anyway so he nodded and grabbed his coffee. He signaled to the server he was moving in the hopes he’d come by to take his order.

As they sat at the table, a woman walked up to them. “Seems Steve left you with the check again, Jimmy. Who’s your new friend?”

Before Jimmy could say a word, Dean extended his right hand. “I’m Dean. Nice to meet you,” he said in a flirty tone. She quirked and eyebrow and smirked, shaking his hand. “ _Enchantée_. Now, are you gonna eat something or are you on a strict caffeine diet?”

“I’ll have your bacon cheeseburger with a side of fries. And some more of that coffee please.”

She turned back to Jimmy. “How ’bout you? Want anything else? More coffee?”

“Please. Thanks, Claire.”

Dean almost spit out the coffee he had just sipped.

“Her name’s Claire too?”

Jimmy frowned again. “What do you mean, too?”

_‘Shit,’_ Dean thought, remembering he shouldn’t know a thing about him. “My– my cousin’s name is Claire,” he finally said.

“Oh, I see.” Jimmy didn’t say another word, instead taking the last of his burger to bite into it. He let out a satisfied hum, making Dean smile. “I really love burgers,” Jimmy said, a bit of heat on his cheeks.

“Burgers are awesome,” Dean agreed.

“So… you were talking about God working in mysterious ways. I take that you’re a believer?” Jimmy said before taking another bite.

Of course. Dean should have known that talking about the big man in the sky would peak the pious man’s interest. Hiding behind his mug, he shrugged, hoping to make the subject go away.

“You’re not from my church, are you? I would have remembered seeing you.”

“Told you, I’m only passing through. It’s just a saying, you know?”

“I know. But I myself believe it to be true. He does work in mysterious ways.”

“If you ask me, he’s been out of commission for a while.”

The stare Jimmy sent him reminded Dean of that first time in the barn. That same mix of pity and disbelief. “You think God is dead?” 

Claire bringing over the burger and fries gave Dean some respite. Why he had even tried to keep talking about that stuff, he didn’t know. He grabbed the sandwich and took a huge bite, opting to occupy his mouth with food rather than with words he’d come to regret.

“I feel sad for you,” Jimmy said. He was done with his own lunch but didn’t seem to be willing to go just yet. “I’m not sure I could keep on living if I didn’t have faith.”

Apparently food wasn’t enough to keep Dean quiet. “What about your wife?” he said around another huge bite. When Jimmy frowned once more, Dean sent a pointed look to the ring on his finger.

“Yes, of course.” He wiggled the fingers on his left hand, a soft smile on his lips. “Without faith, I probably wouldn’t have her in my life. I often think she’s a gift from God.”

It took Dean’s all he had not to snort at that. But the hilarity he felt soon turned sour, remembering how her life, and this of their daughter, would eventually turn to shit. 

A gift from God, all right.

 

 

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the things Dean would have never guessed about Jimmy Novak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit more Jimmy for you guys… no fear, that’s not all it’s gonna be about. But you know, I’m taking my sweet ol' time… What can I say, I like slow-paced (and heart wrenching) stories.
> 
> I only hope this isn’t starting to bore you to death. I SWEAR the pace will pick-up soon… it’s just… this kinda needs to happen, you know?
> 
> I guess that’s what happens when you post ~1,000 words at a time.
> 
> I still hope you’ll enjoy it. I know I enjoy the hell out of you guys! ;) lol
> 
>  
> 
> (again… S10 spoilerish stuff… and please know that this chapter, or the next one, aren’t meant to say what happened to Jimmy and Amelia isn’t true. I still believe it is… with a side of whatever else could happen.)
> 
> .

For a second, Dean wondered what would happen if he told Jimmy about Cas. Maybe he could warn him, tell him that taking the angel within himself was gonna fuck up his life big time. Or maybe Jimmy could at least warn his wife and make sure nothing happens to her and their kid after he’s gone.

His thoughts soon turned to Sam, alone in Palo Alto. He wasn’t even sure if Jessica was in his life just yet but they too deserved some kind of heads up. What would happen if she didn’t die? Sam certainly wouldn’t follow him like he did all those years back – or, forward he should say. But the yellow eyed demon would still be coming after him.

With everything he knew, maybe they could get rid of him before Jess could die, before John made that deal with him. They could even try and summon the bastard. And if Cas was to be around they could use his angel blade to gank his ass.

The excited grin Dean had on his face died down when he realized he was alone in the booth. He looked around, puzzled.

He grabbed Claire by the arm when she passed by. “Hey, where’s Jimmy?”

“He just left. He paid for your lunch too,” she said with a smile as she got out of his hold.

He turned to the window to see Jimmy walking away. Forgetting all about his unfinished lunch, Dean dashed out and ran to catch up to him.

“Hey, Jimmy, wait up,” he said, breathless. “Where you goin’?”

“I have to go back to work. But it was nice meeting you, Dean,” Jimmy said without stopping.

“You could have at least said goodbye or something.”

This time, Jimmy stopped and turned to look at Dean. “I did, you just didn’t hear me. You seemed lost in thoughts, I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Jimmy looked around, as if to make sure they were alone. When he turned back to Dean, his eyes were a little too shiny, feverish even.

“Look, Dean…” He took a deep breath. “I… I’m flattered, really. But that’s not me, all right? Not anymore. I’m happily married to a wonderful woman and that’s all there is to it.”

“Of course… what… what?” Dean felt like he knew what Jimmy was saying but couldn’t bring himself to believe it.

“And even if I wasn’t, I would certainly not pay for it.”

Again, Dean understood, even though he didn’t really want to. “What do you think you gotta pay for?”

Once more, Jimmy checked on their surroundings before speaking. “I know what it is you do, Dean. Not that I’m judging, but I won’t be hiring you.”

It was like a punch in Dean’s gut. Yeah, okay, maybe he _did_ do some stuff for money before. When he had no choice. But with Sammy away, he had found that he could put up with being hungry or sleeping in the car for long periods of time.

“I would hope for you to let God into your heart. Let him show you the way, you know?” Jimmy took his wallet and fished out a couple of bills. “Here’s some money, try and find some footing for yourself. If you choose to stay in Pontiac, you might wanna go over to St-Patrick’s. Ask for Father Donahue, he can help you find lodging and employment.”

Dumbfounded, Dean looked at the cash in his hand. He shoved it back at Jimmy as if it had burned him. “No man, I swear you got it all wrong. I’m not… I don’t… I’m fine, okay? I’m on my way to meet my dad, I’m not a _whore_.”

Jimmy’s face flushed red. “Oh… Dean, I’m sorry… I just– ”

“Don’t worry about it,” Dean cut him off, him too a little red in the face. “That’s what you get for being this pretty, I guess.”

Looking a bit more relaxed, Jimmy chuckled. “Yeah, I bet. Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“You didn’t. I think I’m actually flattered.” _‘Nice going, Dean… flirting with the bible thumper,’_ he scolded himself. Still, he kept the crooked grin on his face.

“Not sure how being accused of being a prostitute would be a compliment but…” Jimmy looked away from Dean and cleared his throat.

“But what?”

Dean couldn’t help looking at Jimmy’s adam’s apple bobbing up and down as the man swallowed. There was a shift in the air, the space between them suddenly warmer.

“You don’t know your appeal, do you Dean?” A sad smile appeared on Jimmy’s face. “When I say Amelia – that’s my wife – when I say she’s a gift from God, I’m pretty much being literal. As a young man, I was lost. I delved into every possible sin, the male flesh the biggest of them.”

Dean only nodded, unsure of what it was he could say to Jimmy’s confession. Why was he even confessing anything to him? It made no sense whatsoever.

“I’m pretty sure that the man I used to be would have propositioned you already.”

And there it was, Jimmy’s dirty little secret. Dean looked back at the motel and pointed at it. “I don’t mind the talk, but… what do you say we get out of the cold? Looks like it’s gonna rain soon,” he said just as a drop landed on his arm.

“Told you I’m married, Dean, I don’t– ”

“That’s not what I’m saying at all, Jimmy. You look like you need someone to talk to and I’m ready to lend you my ear.”

“Why? What do you get out of this? You don’t even know me.”

“Nothing… I don’t know. Maybe I’m bored.”

Jimmy appraised Dean, letting his gaze travel all over his body. Then his features closed off, his lips pinched in a bitter pout. “I feel like you were sent by the Devil to tempt me. Is that what this is? A test of faith?”

Dean couldn’t hold another chuckle. “You know God doesn’t care one bit about that stuff, right?”

“I love my wife.” Jimmy turned his back to Dean. “I wish you a nice life, Dean,” he said as he started walking again.

This time, Dean didn’t follow him. “Take care of yourself, Jimmy,” he only said before turning to walk back to his motel room. 

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has never felt so alone. And apparently, someone else feels the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t wanna spoil it but… left you with a little cliffhanger…
> 
> You guys like those, right?
> 
> Thanks to the whole lot of you for reading, and commenting… I love sharing this daily with you all. <3
> 
>  
> 
> .

Dean took out his phone as he toed off his boots and crashed down on the bed. He found his dad’s number and pressed to call. It only took two rings for him to answer this time.

“You took your sweet ol’ time,” John said when he answered. “Are you done in Danville?”

“Yeah, t’was pretty easy, finished with it around midnight.”

“Thought I asked you to call once you were done.” Dean’s lips pinched tight at the sound of his father sighing. “Got another case for you. Still in Danville?”

“Nope, I’m close by, in Pontiac. But dad, I gotta talk to– ”

“We’ll have time for that later. For now, I want you to drive to Louisville, in Kentucky. Not sure what the hell’s going on over there, but something sure is.”

No way in hell could Dean drive that shitbox van all the way to Kentucky. “I can’t go there now, the Impala’s in the shop.”

“What the hell did you do to it?”

“Nothing… t’was an accident. That’s actually what I need to talk to you about.”

“Talking won’t get the job done, Dean. Just get over there as soon a possible.”

Dean couldn’t hold his frustration back anymore. “Dad, listen to me. I know how to get the yellow eyed demon. And if we do this soon enough– ”

But John had hung up already. Letting out a string of curses, Dean found his brother’s number again. This time when he answered, he didn’t sound as pissed. It helped ease Dean’s temper a bit.

“Hey, Dean. Feeling better?”

“Fine. How ’bout you?”

“Just took a test, pretty sure I nailed it.”

“Of course you did, you’re a huge nerd.”

The laugh Sam let out warmed Dean’s heart. Maybe they weren’t in as bad of a place as he once thought.

“So… did you need something, Dean?”

“I don’t but something happened to me and… all right, I’ll come out with it: I’m actually from 2021.”

“Of course you are, McFly.”

“Sammy, I know it sounds weird but I swear, I’m really from 2021. Did you meet Jessica yet?”

“I’ve met lots of Jessicas, Dean.”

“Jessica Moore, then.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.”

Dean let yet another curse fall from his lips, then it hit him. “Brady! How about Brady?”

“Yeah… made a friend named Brady. How do you know this?”

“Told ya, Sammy… think _Terminator_ minus the robots, or the chick. I  woke up in 2003 and I don’t even know why or how, you gotta help me. And by the way, that Brady guy’s a douche… Well, actually, he’s a demon.”

“A dee– really, Dean? How desperate can you get? First, time travel, and now Brady’s a demon? Seriously…”

“But Sam– ”

“Look, Dean, I tried to humor you just now but it’s getting ridiculous. The joke’s on me, very funny, haha. Now if you don’t mind, my lunch break’s almost over and I got a class to get to.”

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Dean flipped his phone close. He didn’t remember everyone being so obtuse. At this point, with Cas not even being around yet, Dean’s only hope lied in Bobby. 

Before he could flip his phone open again, he heard a knock on the door.

“No need for maid service, thanks,” he yelled.

“Dean, it’s me.”

On the other side of the door stood Jimmy, drenched to the core. He didn’t wait for an invitation before stepping inside to crash his lips onto Dean’s.

Taken aback, Dean grabbed the man by the shoulders and pushed him back to lock their eyes together. “Cas?”

The question granted him a puzzled look. “No, it’s… it’s Jimmy? We just met like twenty minutes ago?”

Scrambling to find an explanation, Dean faked a yawn and stretched his arms over his head. He tried to ignore how the blue eyes shifted to his midsection. “Sorry, I was napping.”

“Huh… sorry to have disturbed you… I shouldn’t have… I’ll go.” Jimmy turned around to leave but stopped when Dean grabbed his wrist.

“You don’t have to,” the hunter said under his breath. “Told you I could lend you an ear. Or anything else it is you need.”

For a second, Dean had a thought for Castiel, _his_ Cas. How would he feel to know Dean was propositioning his vessel? Why was he even doing it?

“I shouldn’t be here, Dean. I… I don’t do this. I’m happy with Amelia, I shouldn’t be wanting anything else.”

“Not saying we should do anything. Maybe you just need to talk it out.”

“I’m tired of talking, of confessing… praying…”

Dean pulled Jimmy over to the bed and sat him down before going in the bathroom to grab a towel. With a soft exhale, Jimmy closed his eyes and let Dean dry him off.

“Why did you have to come here?” he eventually said, the low rumble of his voice a little too reminiscent of the angel.

“I just had to.”

“But why?”

Dean took a deep breath. “I had a friend here once. But he’s gone now.”

“What kind of friend?”

“The best.”

Both men stayed silent as Dean kept rubbing the towel all over him. Only for a second was he tempted to tell him to get out of his wet clothes. He didn’t and not because Jimmy would refuse, but for the exact opposite. And if Jimmy was to be naked in that room with him–

“I’m cold,” Jimmy said, pulling Dean away from his thoughts. “Maybe I should take these off.” The stare he sent Dean didn’t feel entirely innocent.

“Jimmy…”

“I just need to get warm. Do you mind if I take a shower?”

Dean shook his head, his mouth and throat too dry to attempt speaking. The other man got off the bed and walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Only then could Dean let out the breath he felt he’d been holding for years. 

The shower could soon be heard running, and once again Dean found himself praying.

_‘Castiel, I beg of you. We know each other, if you read my mind you’ll see it’s true. I need your help to get back to my own time. But most of all you can’t let Jimmy do what he’s about to do. I’m not strong enough, Cas, and I miss you too fucking much…’_

Dean opened an eye, worried the angel would try to speak to him again. He was startled when the bathroom door opened. He turned around to find a naked Jimmy looking at him, dripping wet.

“There’s another towel in there, man. You can– ”

“Why do you keep calling on me, human?”

 

 

_ To be continued… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to say something about this chapter.
> 
> I KNOW that before Castiel were to be possessing Jimmy, he asked him to prove his faith and all that stuff (remember the hand in the boiling pot of water?)… I did forego this little detail here. Because… I don’t think that Jimmy will have had time to prove himself in the little time he spent in the bathroom.
> 
> But it’s not like in the later seasons that proved to be a prerequisite for angel possession. (Even in that Rapture episode, Claire didn’t have to prove herself before taking Cas in… so… I don’t think I’m too much OOC with this).
> 
> I could understand if that bugs you, and I’m really sorry if it does. I’m still okay with my decision though…
> 
> _**So, open eyes, you know? Open eyes.**  
>  – Becky Rosen, Season Seven, Time For A Wedding. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What can you do when the man you love doesn’t even know you yet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, my lovelies… I’m hoping that you guys will like this new chapter. I, myself, really like it.
> 
> He took his time, but our favorite angel finally got here!! :D
> 
> .

The rest of Dean’s words died in his throat as he caught the eyes looking back at him. They should have been the same except there was no love, no tenderness…

“You say we know one another. I can honestly say I know nothing about you.”

“Read my mind,” Dean said, closing his eyes.

He soon felt those fingers he knew so well brush against his temple. He let out a choked breath as he battled the urge to take the angel in his arms. Castiel took back his hand less than five seconds later. For Dean, it had felt like a lifetime.

“How did you get here?” the angel said.

“I don’t know. I just woke up here. Pretty sure it’s an angel’s doing though. Zachariah did this to me once, sent me to the future. And _you_ sent me to the past a couple of times.”

“Yes, I saw as much. Also saw you killed Zachariah.”

Dean raised both his hands. “Hey, self-defense, man.”

“I have to admit I don’t understand half of what I saw. Are you sure those aren’t delusions?”

“Nope, it’s all true.”

“So I raise you from perdition? And I rebel for you? I doesn’t make any sense.”

“I guess it doesn’t, no… But… if you help me now, you won’t have to.” Dean casted his eyes down and licked his lips. “Huh… you think you could put some clothes on?”

Castiel looked down at himself. In the blink of an eye, Jimmy’s clothes were dry and back on his body. “Satisfied?”

Dean nodded.

“As for helping you… I believe that everything you are to go through is my Father’s will.”

“Did you even pay attention to what happened? The Apocalypse, Lucifer… It all started because I took the knife in Hell. Which I was in ’cause my brother died. Which he did because of the yellow eyed demon. If you help me kill that sonofabitch, none of that shit will ever have to happen.”

“Then we will never have met.”

Dean’s stomach churned at Castiel’s words. Of course, that’s what it would mean. But it also meant everyone else he loved might just not be dead, Castiel included. And Sam could stay in school, do something of himself, marry Jessica…

“You would sacrifice your own happiness for everyone else’s?”

“It’s not like 2021 is all that great, Cas. You’re not even… you fell and then…”

“I died, yes. But I also know that we can’t go around and change History. I have to believe that everything is to happen for a reason. From what I saw, you and your brother divert the Apocalypse and send the devil back in his cage. Which in itself is baffling but necessary, I imagine. I am sorry that you and your family have to suffer but it is God’s plan. I can’t help you.”

“The version of you I knew would have disagreed.”

“He lost his way and most probably his faith.”

Dejected, Dean sat on the bed, his head in his hands. The angel kept his eyes on him, unmoving. 

“So, you’re really not gonna help me? Not even to get me back to my own time? Or maybe just in time to– ”

“Again, I feel there’s a reason for you to be here and for myself to be dead. I shouldn’t intervene.”

“And what if it’s not an angel that did this? What if it’s a demon? I usually just get dropped off, I don’t… change.”

The tilt of Castiel’s – Jimmy’s – head was almost too much to handle. “Demons don’t have the ability to bend time. There has to be something for you to learn here. Maybe looking like you do has something to do with that too.”

“Damn it! Just go, Cas… I can’t talk to you like this,” Dean said with a crack in his voice. “I’ll find my own way back.”

“I think this is a wise decision. And please, do not call on me again. There’s nothing I can do to help you.”

Dean closed his eyes when Castiel’s grace evacuated Jimmy’s body. Freed, the man let himself fall next to Dean on the bed.

“Wow… that was… did you ever do this?” The look on Jimmy’s face was close to a beatific one. “I… I didn’t dream, did I? You saw it too?”

“Yeah, Jimmy, I did.”

“I told you God existed.” He turned to Dean, a huge grin on his face. “Now you gotta believe, don’t you?”

“That was just an angel, Jimmy. Nothing to do with God. Even they haven’t heard from Him in forever.”

“How do you know all that stuff?”

“It’s kinda my job, and… I’ve been around for longer than you’d think. I’m actually back from 2021.”

Jimmy’s eyes widened in surprise, but then he started laughing. “Yeah, okay… you’re from the future. Like that’s ever possible.”

“Says the guy who just was an angel condom.”

“But that’s different, this is God– ”

“Time travel _is_ different, and angels can do this. I just don’t know which one decided to screw me over.”

Jimmy nodded, not laughing anymore. He frowned when he noticed his dry clothes. “When did I get dressed?”

“You came out buck naked… well, Cas did. I asked him to put some clothes on.”

“Cas… that’s what you called me before. That’s the angel Castiel who invested me. I take that you two know each other in the future?” Dean nodded. “Is this why you were on my street this morning?” Dean agreed once more. “And where am I while you two… do what it is you do?”

“You’re in Heaven, Jimmy.”

“What about Amelia, and our daughter? Where are they?”

Dean got up, brushing a hand over his face. That’s not how he had wanted this to go down. “Look, man… I don’t think I should be telling you any of this. Cas said he won’t help me change a single thing. He’s not the Castiel I know… not yet anyway.”

“Where’s Amelia and Claire?” Jimmy repeated, serious again.

“They’re fine, Jimmy… they’re just fine.” The lies tasted bitter on his tongue but he couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth.

“But I’m dead.”

“You sacrificed yourself for the greater good.”

“And I go to Heaven?”

“It’d be the biggest slap in the face if you were to be sent anywhere else after all you’ve sacrificed.”

Jimmy got up too to crowd Dean’s space. “So whatever I do doesn’t matter because I offer myself to God in the end?” Jimmy’s voice had gotten lower, huskier.

Dean cleared his throat. “I guess.”

“Then God won’t mind if I do this, will He?” Jimmy said before crashing his mouth over Dean’s once again.

Except this time, Dean let it happen.

 

 

_ To be continued… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this one also needs a bit of explanation.
> 
> When we saw Jimmy in The Rapture, he had been possessed for a while and had gone through a whole lot of stuff. So it was understandable that he’d have had enough of it.
> 
> Here though, Cas didn’t stay for long and didn’t do much more than stand there and talk to Dean. So I would believe Jimmy’s experience could have been a nice drug-free trip. 
> 
> I can only hope you guys aren’t too dejected by my "creative choices"…


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean’s "predictions" start happening. Now what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are soon gonna come into place. If I have to be honest, I didn’t have the resolution of this story pinned down just yet. But now that (I think) I do, things might start moving along a little bit faster. For me anyway (I’m a couple of chapters ahead of you guys after all).
> 
> I would imagine that, as true Supernatural fans, you like stories of love, and sacrifice, and pain… Not saying that’s what’s to happen but… maybe it is.
> 
> I can only hope you will keep reading and like where I decide to take our favourite boys. Oh damn… just got another idea… I might have to add some disturbing tags to this story… (I’ll calm down now and let you read this next chapter)
> 
> So… this is dedicated to you all, with NO exception. <3

It was still raining when Dean’s phone woke him up. He turned around, evading Jimmy’s hold, to grab the device.

“Yeah,” he said in a sleepy voice.

“Dean… how did you know?”

On the other end, Sam’s voice didn’t sound right. “What’s up, Sammy?”

“How did you know about Jessica Moore?”

“Huh… so Brady introduced you two then?”

“Dean! Answer me! How do you know that stuff?”

Dean’s breath hitched when Jimmy’s arm circled around his waist. He turned to find the man still asleep and smiled. When they slept, Jimmy and Cas could very well be the same person.

“Dean!”

“Jeez, gimme a minute, would you? You woke me up.”

“It’s five in the afternoon, why would you be sleeping?”

“Long night, all right?” Dean got up to go talk in the bathroom. “What do you wanna know?”

“How did you know about Jessica Moore, or even Brady for that matter? Are you in town? Are you spying on me?”

“Told you already, Sam.”

“It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Don’t I know it.”

Jimmy knocked on the bathroom door. “Dean? You in there?”

“Yeah, gimme a second,” Dean said just loud enough, holding a hand over the phone. He took a deep breath before addressing his brother again. “Look, Sammy… I know it sounds crazy, I do. But you know what we do. You know there’s a whole lot of weird crap out there.”

“Tell me this, then… what kind of creature could make you jump through time?”

“Angels.”

“What? You’re shitting me. Angels exist?”

Dean couldn’t even be surprised his brother wouldn’t doubt for one second that angels were real. He remembered how Sam had taken to their existence much faster than himself did, even after being pulled out of hell by one of them.

“Yeah, Sammy, they do.”

“The real thing? With halos, and wings, and harps?”

Sam huffed when he heard his brother laugh. “No, Sammy… well, yeah, they got wings but we can’t see them. The halos and harps thing’s nothing but crap though. And, sorry to tell you, but angels are major dicks! Most of them are anyway.”

“I see… so what? You met an angel and he sent you back in time to…?”

If he noticed a bit of complacency in his brother’s voice, Dean decided to ignore it. For now anyway. “I don’t know why, Sammy. Apparently I’d have something to learn here. And I don’t have the foggiest idea of what it could be. Unless someone wants me to make all the crap we went through disappear.”

“What crap?”

“If I tell you what’s to happen, you’ll have me committed, no doubt about it.”

Sam didn’t refute Dean’s affirmation. “And what does dad say about it all? Does he believe you?”

“If he ever takes a second to listen to what I have to say, I’ll let you know.” Dean hadn’t been able to stifle the bitterness lacing his tone. Which, in itself, should have been proof enough that he really wasn’t his twenty-four year old self.

“Look, Dean. I wanna believe you, I really do… but angels, man. Why would they even bother with us?”

“I promise I’ll tell you, Sam. As soon as I can, I’ll come by and explain it all. But for now, just… just be careful, all right?”

“Of course, Dean. You too. And if there’s anything you wanna talk about– ”

“I will. I swear I’ll explain it all soon. Bye, Sammy.”

Dean hung up before his brother could say another word. If there’s something he hated, it was to hear his baby brother sound all concerned and overly pacifying. Maybe he could get on the angel train, but he didn’t seem to be digging the _Back to the Future_ routine at whole lot. 

Not that he couldn’t relate. Even after seeing Cas and the shadow of his wings in the barn, he had been having a hard time believing. He was pulled out of his souvenirs by another set of knocks on the bathroom door.

“Dean, you okay?”

Instead of answering, the hunter plastered a smile on his face and opened the door. The sight that awaited him was enough to make his heart melt. Jimmy stood there with his hair sticking in every which way – Cas hair if he had to give it a name – and his deep blue eyes filled with concern.

“Yeah, I’m good Jimmy. Was talking to my brother.”

Jimmy nodded as he closed the distance between them. He cupped a hand behind Dean’s neck and pulled him forward for a kiss. But his lips didn’t linger on the hunter’s for long. 

“I gotta go home,” Jimmy said in a hush, his other hand flat on Dean’s chest. “Amelia’s waiting for me.” Shame dropped like a shadow on the salesman’s face. “I can’t see you again… what we did… it’s unfair to her.”

“I know,” Dean said, leaning his forehead against the other man’s. “Believe it or not, I feel like i’m in that same situation myself. I kinda cheated on Cas just now… even though he’s– even though we don’t get together for another fourteen years. My present is still then and not now.”

The thumps of his heart were loud in his ears, hating to have almost said it outloud. Not that he couldn’t but he didn’t believe Jimmy should know Cas wouldn’t get to live beyond 2020. Shivering, he wrapped his arms around Jimmy’s body, needing to hold _him_ just a little while longer.

With a sigh, the older man melted in his hold, letting out a low growl when Dean kissed him again. A litany of _‘just one more time, I need you, let me have this, I love you,’_ swirled around in Dean’s mind, threatening to pass his lips. But he resisted, afraid a single word would be enough to shatter their bubble.

Ever so softly, Dean guided Jimmy towards the bed, not letting their lips separate as they both lied down on the bed. They didn’t go as far this time, rubbing their erections together as they kissed and caressed each other. They came at once, both with a hand wrapped around each other’s lengths.

This time, Jimmy had tears in his eyes when he looked at the clock. He should have been home half an hour ago. He grabbed his clothes and locked himself in the bathroom. He came out ten minutes later, his hair wet and fully clothed again. He went to stand by the door, his back turned to Dean.

“You need a lift?” Dean asked, hoping that he would.

“My car’s at the office, I just have to go and get it,” Jimmy said without looking at him. He grabbed the handle and, against all odds, turned around again. “Thank you, Dean… I just… you know… good luck with…”

With a sigh, he walked out without finishing his thought, leaving a bewildered Dean behind.

 

 

_To be continued…_


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone doesn’t seem able to stay away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whatever you may think after reading this, I do LOVE the boys… no, really!!! I do!!!
> 
> ALL OF THEM
> 
> But hey… what’s a story without a bit of drama, huh?
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you guys so much for putting up with me… I love you all and can only appreciate you reading and commenting… it’s like a breath of fresh air each time! <3
> 
> .

A trip to the liquor store later, Dean was lying on his bed watching old infomercials. Old for him anyway. With half of a fifth of Jack already consumed, Dean could finally relax. If for a moment he considered getting some pizza, the thought of the food soaking up the booze and making him sober again was enough to change his mind.

He was so transfixed by some dude talking about fuel tornados that he didn’t realize he wasn’t alone in the room anymore.

“Dean Winchester.”

The sound of Castiel’s voice so close made the hunter jump. The bottle he dropped rolled away from the bed, spilling whiskey on the carpet. The angel stood next to the bed wearing a Jimmy in blue pajama pants.

“Jeez, Cas… warn a guy, would you?”

The angel titled his head, confused. “I just did. I said your name.”

Dean rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the TV. _His_ Cas was gone and this sorry version of him wasn’t helping one bit. “What do you want?” he still said, unable to truly ignore him.

“I can’t stop thinking about what you’ve shown me. It intrigued me. So I went forward in time to see for myself.”

Even with his mind in an alcoholic fog, Dean understood the importance of what Castiel had just said. He looked at him again as he sat up. “Yeah? What did you find?”

“From what I understand, it may not be an angel that’s done this to you.”

“Dude, it’s the only– ”

“Your brother believes otherwise.”

Dean swallowed, realizing only now how he hadn’t had a single thought for his brother since he got here. Not the 2021 version anyway. “So he knows I’m gone?”

“Now he does. He seemed much more surprised to see me than learning about your absence.”

“Told you, you’re dead.”

Castiel nodded, a pensive expression on his face. “As an angel, I shouldn’t fear death. Not that we can’t die, but it isn’t a certainty as it is for your kind. Knowing that I am to fall and perish, I’ll admit that it worries me. And that’s something I’m not accustomed to.”

Dean’s chuckle didn’t carry any mirth. “Enough to wanna change the future?”

The eyes that landed on him were dark, resolved. “Of course not.” Without asking, he moved to sit on the bed next to Dean. “But the good news is that your brother is working on getting you back.”

“It’d take you a second to do it, Cas. Come on.”

“It would,” Castiel said with a nod. 

Dean couldn’t help glancing at the man’s naked chest. When he looked back up again, he found Castiel’s stare on him to be slightly warmer. He brushed it off, convinced he only imagined what he so desperately wanted to see.

“You had intimate relations with my vessel,” Castiel said after some time, his eyes still on Dean. “He appreciated that. And from what I could surmise, so did my future self.” Another head tilt, another eye squint. “Are we in love?”

That wasn’t something Dean ever imagined that angel would ask him. “Huh… well… yeah… I guess we were… I am.”

“It makes sense, I guess. It may explain how I would choose to turn my back on Heaven and sacrifice my grace for you.”

“You didn’t do none of that shit ’cause of me. You were just… you believed in free will.”

Castiel hummed as he considered Dean’s response. “I imagine that if I believed in it right now, I’d be sending you back to you own time. Quite the conundrum, wouldn’t you say?”

Dean didn’t answer, instead eyeing the mostly empty bottle of Jack on the floor. He barely noticed the sound of fluttering wings as Castiel went and came back a second later. A new bottle of whiskey was thrusted in his hands.

“I believe I’m to blame for the loss of your alcohol. It is something you appreciate very much, is it not?”

Oh, how he had missed this. Not the booze, but the gentleness of his often clueless angel. He closed his eyes as he unscrewed the bottle cap, in dire need of anything to help dissolve the lump in his throat. He couldn’t look at Castiel anymore, the pain of his loss much too sharp again.

He kept his eyes closed, determined to drink until he didn’t hurt anymore. Whoever had thought it’d be a good idea to send him back in time better be dead before he came back. If not, they were in for the bloodiest of deaths.

“Does it help?” he heard Castiel say. Dean’s heart sunk, having hoped he’d do as he always did and fly away without a word.

“Probably not,” he said, his still eyes shut. “It’s not like I have anything else going for me right now.”

“You seem unhappy with me. Why is that?”

Letting out a choked chuckle, Dean finally opened his eyes. As he knew it would, the sight of the angel in his PJs hurt like a sonofabitch. “You… dude, you’re dead, all right? The future you’s dead. But now you’re here, and it’s the dick version that won’t even help me go back home… you don’t care…”

He took another long swig from the bottle. “I’ll go find my dad, and I’ll make sure he listens to me. We’ll find the yellow eyed demon and kill him before he even tries roasting up my brother’s girlfriend. And then we’ll– ”

“You think that will change anything about the Apocalypse?”

“I started up that shit, Cas. Me. So if there’s no yellow eyed demon, there’s no dead Sammy, and no demon deals, and no breaking the first seal. Got it?” He took another pull of Jack, closing his eyes once more. He couldn’t look at the angel anymore.

“And you think my brothers will let you do as you please?”

“Fuck you, Cas,” Dean spat, drunker by the second. “Just leave me the fuck alone, would you? You’re not _him_. You’re nothing but a heartless, junkless version of the best man I’ve ever known.”

This time when he opened his eyes, he was alone in the room. He may have told the angel to get out but he hadn’t expected him to listen. And now that he was alone again, Dean couldn’t hold the pained sob that erupted from deep inside him.

Holding a pillow tight onto his chest, he curled up on the bed and let the tears spill. He had mourned Cas already; he had cried, and drank, and fucked himself into oblivion. And he had been doing much better for a couple of months now.

But not anymore…

If the time travel thing was meant to make him miserable, then that plan seemed to be going _A-Okay_ so far.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goodbye Pontiac, Hello Baby!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme warn you, not much in the pairing department happens here. I still think it’s some kind of important. Character development and what not! To the point where I even considered giving you guys a second chapter today… but I’ll be resisting the temptation. :D
> 
> I can only hope you will still appreciate and don’t worry, there’s something fun in store for you tomorrow. *wink wink* (well… funner?? is that even a word? why can’t I word?)
> 
>  
> 
> .

The ride back to Mt Vernon took less time than it should have. All Dean wanted was to put as much distance between himself and Pontiac as possible. If he didn’t, he’d end up back at that restaurant in the hopes Jimmy would show up. And he knew, he _knew_ , they’d end up in bed again. Or against a wall in the diner’s restroom. Or sprawled on the messy floor of the white Econoline.

He ignored his phone when it rang, knowing it’d have to be his dad wanting to know if he was on his way to Louisville already. He pressed down on the gas pedal, finding no satisfaction in the dull purr of the van’s engine. All it did was help in making his way in four hours rather than the five he had expected.

The old mechanic gave him a wide smile when he saw him again. “Hey there, sonny. Took good care of the beast for me?”

“I did. Hope you did the same for my baby?”

“Of course I did.” The man pointed his thumb to the parking lot where the Impala glimmered under the sun.

Dean approached it with deference, letting his fingers graze the chassis. She looked perfect. “You did a great job, man. She’s beautiful.”

“Of course she is. You obviously take good care of her, I could only do the same.” The old man adjusted his cap and gave Dean a cheeky grin. “But all the love in the world won’t pay my bills. Ready to talk numbers?”

Unable to keep a serious face, Dean followed the man into the office. He took the first card he could find, hoping it wouldn’t get rejected. Because if it did, he’d have a fun time trying to explain the different name on the next card.

It went through without a hitch, helping him breathe easier. He’d soon be back on the road and follow his father’s orders in the hope he could join him afterwards. The old man, who he only now learned was named Caleb, let him alone again to transfer his stuff from the van to the car.

Another five minutes later and he was back behind his baby’s wheel. He honked and waved at Caleb before taking on the road, his heart a little lighter. If there’s something he could always count on, it was his Baby and how she’d always been there for him. Even back (forth?) in 2021, she was still by his side, as beautiful and strong as she’s ever been.

When his phone rang again, he realized he had forgotten to call his dad back. He answered, trying not to let himself be intimidated by the tone of John’s voice. His twenty-four year old self certainly would have been. But this version? He had seen too much crap in his day to let his dad bully him.

Or so he liked to think.

“Where the hell are you, Dean? People are dying in Louisville. Would have I known it’d take you this long to get there, I would– ”

“Told you the Impala was in the shop, dad. I’m on my way right now, so cool it, all right?”

“Don’t you take that tone with me, boy. You know how to jack a car, you didn’t _need_ the Impala.”

This time, when Dean pressed on the gas pedal, the rumble of his Baby felt like a mother’s caress. “I won’t do it again, sir,” he said, a little bit calmer.

If John was surprised by the sudden compliance of his son, he didn’t say a word about it. He just cleared his throat and mumbled some kind of acknowledgment Dean didn’t even try to decipher.

“Want me to come join you when I’m done?” he asked, praying – or rather wishing since praying could be dangerous nowadays – that his dad would agree.

“Yeah, I guess… call me when you’re done and I’ll let you know where I’ll be at, all right?”

“Fine. Call you later then.”

Dean hung up, somehow not convinced this would happen. It meant that he probably would have to explain all that time travel nonsense over the phone. And, knowing John Winchester, he knew that might not go so well.

He got to Louisville late in the afternoon. He tried to remember what case it had been, without much success. At least, the motel room he rented seemed a bit familiar. But then again, pretty much every motel in the States could spring some sorte of déjà-vu. Always dark, always musty, always smelly. Who cared about the color of the bedspreads or the walls, right?

After shoving a sixer of _El Sol_ in the fridge, Dean fired up the laptop he had forgotten he had. He soon closed it back up, unnerved by how long it took. Instead, he grabbed the many issues of the local newspapers he’d been able to find and went through them. He remembered the case as soon as he saw the picture in the issue from four days prior.

Melissa Acorn, a kindergarten teacher, had been found dead in her classroom one morning. Back in the days, it had taken Dean three days, and a close brush with death, to find out it was a witch’s work. The head of the PTA, Marianne Lovell, hadn’t appreciated Miss Acorn’s _non-christian_ teaching methods.

Because black magic certainly was a great christian way of dealing with your problems.

Maybe he should have foregone his little trip down memory lane and come right here instead. The latest issue of the newspaper reported the death of a guy he had been able to save back then. Guilt settled heavy in his heart as he walked back to the Impala to go find the witch and kill her. 

He remembered where the Lovell family lived. So he found the place again and parked close by, making sure he had a nice view of the house. He’d have to wait until the next morning to strike, after her husband and kids had left for the day. All he could hope for was that she wouldn’t find someone else to eliminate before then.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If I’m not him, then why do I feel the need to make you happy?”  
>  – Castiel, Angel of the Lord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised something "exciting" for today, so here it is… I can only hope you won’t be disappointed.
> 
> Thank you so much guys for reading and commenting!!! You just make my day, each and every day! :D

It wasn’t even ten AM when Dean walked back into the motel room. He dropped his breakfast bag on the small table and made a beeline for the bathroom. A minute later, he was under the hot spray and scrubbing the blood off. He had forgotten how much of a fighter the witch had been. Her husband was in for quite a surprise when he’d come back home.

Not that he’d found her, Dean had placed an anonymous call to the police already. But there would still be a heavy mess to clean-up. He hoped the guilt would go down the drain along with the soapy water. But as it always did, it clung to him instead, marking him from the inside… once more.

So he tried to drown it with the mexican beer, not minding how weird it tasted with an egg and sausage sandwich. Guilt certainly tasted far worse. As soon as his last bite of breakfast was swallowed, he called his father back. His mood turned even more bitter when he got sent to voicemail.

“Hey, dad. Done with the Louisville job, t’was a witch, she’s dead. Let me know where you’re at so I can come and join you. Got stuff to tell you.”

He hung up and downed the rest of his beer before going to grab another one. No way John would let him stay idle for very long, he was bound to call back soon. To pass the time, he took out the half-empty sixer from the fridge and dropped it on the side table before letting his body fall on the bed. He turned on the TV, trying to find something to watch. The only interesting thing turned out to be the free porn channel.

He closed his eyes for what seemed to only be a second. When he opened them again, he was on his own bed in the bunker. He sat up, startled, and looked around. Everything seemed in its place, yet it was vastly different. Only because Castiel stood at the foot of their bed.

Mouth agape, Dean took the sight in. He couldn’t be back in his own time, not with his lover standing there. Then he understood.

“I’m dreaming?” he only said. The angel gave him a short nod. “Am I dreaming you or are you the 2003 version haunting me?”

“I’m not a ghost, Dean. But yes, I am the 2003 version, as you call it.”

Dean let his body fall back on his bed, letting the memory foam hug his back. “Go the fuck away, man. I can’t do this… it hurts too damn much.”

“I thought you would appreciate being back where you belong. With the man you love.”

“But you’re not him, are you? And I’m not home either. It’s nothing but a crap illusion.”

Castiel walked to the side of the bed so he could look the hunter in the eyes. “If I’m not him, then why do I feel the need to make you happy?”

“If you really wanted to make me happy, you’d send me back.”

Again, Castiel sat on the bed next to Dean. He seemed to like doing that. “I am not permitted to do so, Dean. I told you that already.”

“It’s bullshit, Cas. When Anna went back to kill my mom, you didn’t need no permission slip to send us back. Or when we went back to get the Phoenix’s ashes…”

“I believe those were special occurrences.”

“Bull. Shit. You’re just the dick you were when we met. And I don’t have a year to spare so you can see how wrong you are. You’d think that sucking up my memories would have been enough.”

Even though he glared at him, Dean didn’t move when Cas brushed his fingers on his temple. Their eyes locked together as he took it all in once again. A plethora of emotions grazed the angel’s face as the souvenirs went by. But what Dean hadn’t expected to see was tears roll on his cheeks.

Castiel took back his hand and gingerly touched his own face now damp with tears. He gave the hunter a confused look. “I don’t understand. How is it that you can make me feel this way… or at all,” he added in a low voice, as if for himself only.

“‘Cause you’re you, Cas. I guess it was Alfie who said it best: you have too much heart. Samandriel,” he specified even though he knew he didn’t really have to.

“My own family seems to think I’m broken. According to you memories, of course. I’m starting to think they may be right.”

Without warning, he leaned on Dean to kiss him on the lips. It was quick and chaste, everything but romantic. “I don’t get it,” he said again as he sat up, not minding the shock on the hunter’s face.

He knew this wasn’t his Cas, he _knew_ it. But it didn’t make a lick of difference for Dean as he pushed himself up and grabbed the angel, crashing their mouths together. This time it was everything but chaste. When he was able to slip his tongue inside the angel’s mouth, he was delighted to find that taste again, the one he had lost a little over a year ago.

Maybe he should have been worried that the angel would smite him for his impertinence. But he really wasn’t. Especially not when he felt the stiff form of the angel melt in his hold. And not after he felt Cas’ lips and tongue mirror his own.

Soon, Dean had pulled the angel to lie over him, spreading his legs wide so their groins would meet. To find better release, he wrapped his legs around Castiel and pulled him down, slotting their clothed erections together. They both let out shaky breath as the angel’s hips started moving on their own accord.

“Fuck… Cas…” Dean said, unable to hold his tongue anymore. He let his feet fall back on the mattress and rolled them both to land on top of Castiel.

Dean sat back on his heels, straddling the angel’s legs. He licked his lips as he started to unbutton the pajama top. With his lips, he worshipped every inch of skin he uncovered, rolling the sensitive nipples between his teeth.

“Ah… this is… what is this?” Castiel said between ragged breaths.

“That’s sex, Cas,” Dean said before licking his way down to his navel. “You like?” he said again, peppering the lower belly with small kisses.

“Hunh… I… I do…”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John appears to be compromised and Dean thinks there’s only one person out there who can help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys won’t be surprised to know that NOTHING’s ever easy. Especially not in that universe. Yeah, I guess that if it were to be easy, it’d be quite boring.
> 
> So yeah, that’s me, throwing sticks in Dean’s wheels… just 'cause I can. 
> 
> And I got A LOT of sticks.
> 
> But for you guys, I got no sticks… All I have is love and gratitude. Thank you for reading and, if you must know, I LIVE for your comments… you guys rock! :D (even though I’m being unnecessarily mean with your hearts at times… still love ya)
> 
>  
> 
> .

Never Dean hated his phone, or his dad, more than at that moment. He had been just about to get his hands into the angel’s pajama pants, his nose brushing the little hair he had uncovered. With a frustrated growl, he grabbed the ringing phone to answer.

“What?” he almost yelled, frustrated in every which way possible.

“Mind your tone, boy. I’m on my way to a job right now so we can’t meet just yet. And I got another job for you.”

At twenty-four years old, Dean would have swallowed down his frustration and accepted whatever mission his dad gave him. But at forty-two – eighty-two if he included hell – he didn’t care all that much anymore.

“Listen, dad. I’m in trouble, all right? I’m here from 2021 and all I can think of doing is tell you how to gank that son of a bitch demon. This or we need to find a way to send me back.”

“I got no time for your nonsense, Dean. Now you either do as I say or– ”

“Or what, dad? You’re gonna _spank_ me? You’re gonna take away my TV privileges? What?”

The other end of the line fell silent. It lasted long enough for Dean to wonder if John had hung up. Soon, Dean noticed his father’s short breaths coming through the phone.

“Dad, you okay?” he said, now afraid the man was having a heart attack. He didn’t know if he should have been relieved or scared when he realized his father was laughing.

It lasted a couple of minutes, the man he always knew to be overly serious apparently losing his shit over Dean’s talk-back. So he waited, glad to realize his boner had gone down. Another thing he didn’t have to worry about.

“Oh, Dean… you never change, do you? So brave. Now, tell me… where _exactly_ are you?”

Ice filled Dean’s veins when he realized the man on the phone was _not_ his father. It had his voice, but it certainly wasn’t his words. Dean hung-up and stared at his phone for a while, confused.

His thoughts turned to Cas, but only for a second. Instead, he decided to call Sam. His brother answered quickly, out of breath.

“Yeah?”

“Hey, Sam… it’s me. You got a minute?”

“Look, Dean, I’m on my way to my last course of the day. Can I call you later?”

“Sam, I think dad’s being possessed or some shit.”

He heard his brother fumble with the phone. “What? How?”

“Long story, man. But it’s possible. It’s either that or it’s not dad at all I talked to.”

“Who the hell would you have talked to?”

“Could be anything, man. A demon, a shapeshifter, could be a fucking ghoul for all we know.”

“You’re losing it, man. You should do like me. Get out of the life before it consumes you whole.”

Dean shook his head, defeated. “It’s too late for that, Sammy… I’ve been consumed and spat back out more times than I can count. All I need now is to go back to my own time however shitty it may be. And I think the thing pretending to be dad is my way out.”

“You said only angels could do that,” Sam said in a hushed voice. “I don’t think dad’s an angel.”

“He could still be possessed by one,” Dean said, suddenly worried John had been contacted by Michael and thought it’d be a good idea to let him in.

“Dean, I really gotta hang up now, the class is starting. I’ll call you back as soon as I’m done here, all right? But please, don’t do anything stupid before we talk again.”

“Yeah, okay… talk to you later.”

Dean let the phone fall on the mattress. This day only had only been a succession of frustrations, the worst probably being dream cock-blocked by John Winchester – or the thing pretending to be him. Now, he had to choose between doing what his old self would have done or go off the rails, whatever the consequences may be.

What he needed was 2021 Sam, not the fresh-faced-better-than-this-life version he had to deal with again. Not that he had dealt much with him back in the days. Not until their father had disappeared that is. 

He thought about that time he spent some time with Elliot Ness and how he had communicated with Sam. Or about how Samuel Colt had pulled a Doc Brown and sent Sam the phoenix’s ashes. Slight disadvantage about that plan was the _one-way-streetness_ of it all. So, really, all he could do was call on the only person who could help him out of this clusterfuck.

“Yeah!”

Hearing Bobby’s voice had the same effect as the day before. He had missed this man so much. And if he were to be honest with himself, he might have gone as far as to say he had missed him even more than his own father.

“Hey, Bobby… it’s Dean. Got a second?”

“Yeah, what do you need?”

“Not sure… safe from your help. D’you happen to know where my dad is?”

“Not a clue, son. You know your dad’s not the sharin’ type.”

“Fuck! Look, I don’t think my dad’s my dad anymore. I gotta find him before whatever it is kills him.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I just know, Bobby, all right? Do you trust me or not?”

“Do you still think you’re from the future?”

Dean groaned, trying to think of some way to convince the older man. Whatever he could tell him about what’s to happen certainly wouldn’t help. Then it hit him.

“Rufus Turner,” he only said.

“What about him?”

“Don’t you wonder how I know Rufus? Or about Omaha?”

Bobby cleared his throat but his voice wasn’t less gruff when he spoke again. “What the hell do you know about Omaha? Who blabbed?”

“Nobody blabbed, Bobby. And I don’t know exactly what happened in Omaha. I just know it’s the reason Rufus and you don’t speak no more. Oh… and I know about Annie too. And Dr. Visyak. You’re quite the ladies’ man, Bobby.”

“Shut up, you idjit! Where are you?”

“Louisville, Kentucky.”

“Think you can get here for breakfast?”

“I’ll be there. See you in the morning.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby’s alive… all is going to be okay. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Singer’s SALVAGE Yard… is it just me or does it apply to more than Bobby’s job? Bobby’s Salvage Heart… (sorry, only had a couple sips of coffee…)
> 
> Any-who! I know you (we) all waited for this… BOBBY!! I’m in utter-love with Bobby (and Jim) and I loooove to write him. I can only hope you guys will enjoy him as much as I do.
> 
> Again… I don’t think I’ll ever thank you enough, you guys are awesome and soooo patient with me! lolll 
> 
> I know, those are small chapters and it’s a slow pace kinda story, but I promise it won’t take years to see resolution… oh, it’s coming, don’t you worry! ;)
> 
> See you all tomorrow!! <3
> 
>  
> 
> .

Fourteen hours later, the Impala rolled into Singer’s Salvage Yard. Dean was dead tired but the excitement of seeing his surrogate father again was far too grand. He grabbed the box of donuts he had bought on the way and trotted to the house.

He was greeted by the delicious smell of bacon, eggs and toasts. _‘So much for pastries,’_ he thought as he dropped the box on the kitchen table. He didn’t say a word as he walked to Bobby to engulf him in a tight hug.

“Damn, boy… good morning to you too.”

With a teary-eyed smile, Dean let Bobby go with a hefty clap on his shoulder. “I’m just glad to see you, is all.”

“Sit, you’re just in time for breakfast,” Bobby said in a huff. Five minutes later, the two men were honoring the hunter’s cuisine, washing it all down with black coffee.

“So, wanna tell me what’s that time travel shit you’ve been babbling about? You know it’s not possible, right?”

“Yet, here I am.” Dean dipped a piece of toast in the runny yolk before popping it into his mouth. “You should also know that angels exist. They’re usually the ones driving the DeLorean.”

“Yeah, I thought as much.” He rolled his eyes at Dean's surprised look. “That angels existed, I mean. If demons are real, it’s only fair their holy counterparts would too. Doesn’t mean I’d know what to do with ‘em.”

“Ideally, you won’t have to do a single thing with them. They’re humongous dicks.” He kept to himself how there was that one angel who turned out to be not so bad after all.

“If you say so… but… it’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just… how come you look just like you did a couple of weeks ago if you’re from so far ahead in the future? Not that I know how this shit works but… shouldn’t you look older?”

“You know what? I should. Every other time I went through time, I looked like myself. Now it’s like I’ve been shoved into my twenty-four year-old body.” Dean looked down at himself and patted his slightly firmer belly. “Not like it’s all that bad.”

Bobby snorted a laugh before pulling the doughnut box towards himself. He took his time choosing a chocolate glazed one then pushed the carton back.

“So what d’you need me for?” he asked after swallowing his first bite.

“I need to find a way to get back home, Bobby. But first, I gotta find my dad. Pretty sure he’s possessed or something. You’re sure you don’t know where he’s at?”

“Told ya… spoke to him some days ago but all he wanted to know was how to kill a Sharp Elbow.”

Dean quirked an eyebrow. “A what?”

“A Sharp Elbow, also called Two-Face… some Native American human flesh eating monster. I would think John’s somewhere on the West Coast if he’s hunting one of those. At the very least, that’s where he’ll find the madrone branch he needs to kill it.”

All Dean heard was West Coast and how that’s exactly where his little brother had gone to _hide_ from them. If indeed John wasn’t John anymore, that meant Sam could be in danger. He hated not knowing if that shit ever happened or not. 

He really needed to talk to older Sam. So he prayed to Castiel even though he had been told not to do it again. If the angel could invade his dreams, he certainly could spare a minute or two to come see him in the waking world.

“I thought I asked you not to call on me again,” Castiel said when he appeared in the kitchen, making Bobby jump with a choked yelp.

“You keep showing up so I’d say you don’t mind so much.”

When Dean saw the angel take a couple of steps towards him, he got up from his chair to keep some distance between them. There was no way he’d let the angel try whatever with Bobby in the room.

Oh, right… Bobby…

“Huh… Cas, Castiel, this is Bobby, a friend of the family. He’s like my second dad actually. Bobby, meet Castiel, an angel of the Lord.”

Both nodded at each other, suspicion hanging heavy between them.

“I doubt you called me to introduce us, Dean. What is this about?”

“I know you won’t send me back, but… stuff’s happening and I don’t know if it’s happened before or not. If it hasn’t, it means something else is here with me.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I talked to my dad and… I don’t think he’s _himself_. Whatever’s got a hold of him right now, I need to know if it happened before. If it has, I guess it means he’ll pull through. But if it hasn’t– ”

“You think something might be tampering with the timeline?”

“At this point, I’d say anything’s possible. All I need to know is if it’s happened before. And Sammy’s the only one who can tell us. Unless you go forward in time and ask my dad directly.”

Bobby, who still hadn’t said a word, cleared his throat and crossed his arms on his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but the angel didn’t give him the chance to let a single word out.

“You seem to think that I’m here to dote on you, Dean Winchester. Whatever happens between us in the future shouldn’t grant you with some sort of heavenly favors.”

Bobby looked at them with squinted eyes. Dean sighed, having always regretted the older man hadn’t lived to see the both of them get together. Especially since he had probably known all along how they felt for one another.

“You’re the one who told me I shouldn’t change a thing. I just wanna make sure there’s not someone else out there doing just that.”

Castiel seemed to be thinking it over then nodded, apparently convinced. “Very well… what is it you need from me?”

“If you can’t bring my brother here or send me back there, I’d like to know if my dad was possessed in 2003. I don’t remember seeing anything about it in his journal but then, I hadn’t been looking for it. You think you could manage that?”

“Talk to your brother? Of course I can. I did it before. But don’t you think that if your father is indeed possessed, then your brother might just find evidence of it? It doesn’t matter that it happened in your timeline or not. If anything changed since you came back here, then the future will have changed accordingly.”

“Awesome!” Dean pinched the bridge of his nose, all those time fuckeroos starting to mess with his brain. “Then I think you should go and find my dad. Bobby seems to think he’d be on the West Coast. Sam’s over there too and if it’s not my dad at the wheel, I’m worried Sam’s in– ”

Before Dean was even done, Castiel had flown away. Bobby blinked a couple of times, not yet used to seeing people vanish before his eyes. He got over it quickly and adjusted his trucker cap on his head.

“So… that was an angel?” Dean nodded. “Do they all look like that?” he asked again, making the younger man laugh.

“Nah… they need a human vessel to interact with us. With most of us, anyway.” He thought back to the clothes his own Castiel had worn most of the years he’d known him. It had made him look much more legit than the grey running suit Bobby had just seen him in. 

“He’s possessing a guy named Jimmy Novak. But it’s all legit, don’t worry. Humans have to agree for angels to possess them,” he added when he saw the frown on Bobby’s face.

“Does that happen a lot in your time?”

Dean shrugged, deciding he shouldn’t tell Bobby about what the future held. Not yet anyway. First, he needed to know if the timeline had been screwed up or not.

Well… _more_ screwed up.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean tells Bobby everything… damn the timeline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s one of those days where I don’t have much to say… even though I feel like I should. I can only hope it’s entertaining to you, to some extent. 
> 
> I know that I love that daily rendez-vous we have… and I’ll probably be sad when it comes to an end. But it has to.
> 
> Not now, but… soon… (time seems longer when you write 1000 words at a time, doesn’t it?) ;)
> 
>  
> 
> All I really need to say is thank you from the bottom of my heart and hope you’re enjoying the ride! <3

There were no discernable emotions on Castiel’s face when he came back. Not that Dean should have been surprised but the angel – the man – he came to know so well had become an open book for Dean.

The angel didn’t say a word and stood in the middle of the kitchen, unmoving. Bobby didn’t speak either, busy eyeing the angel with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. Dean was on the verge of grabbing Castiel by his stupid gray hoody to shake him when he finally spoke.

“I found your father. I’m not sure if confirming his normal human status would be seen as good news or not.” He squinted his eyes. “The sole fact of me caring about it at all is highly irritating.”

Dean shrugged. “I don’t even know what’s good or not anymore. But thanks.”

“Can I go now or do you need me for some other task?”

“Whatever you could do for me, you won’t so… I guess we’re done here,” Dean said. “Unless you plan on going forward to see Sam again?”

“I have no such plan. As I said, he’s trying to find a way to bring you back. I doubt that me going to him again is going to be of any help. Plus, Jimmy should be back from his run already.”

“Since when do you care about Jimmy?” Dean spat, clearly in the mood to fight.

But all the angel did was to give him a domineering look before flying away. Dean cursed under his breath, angry at both himself and the angel. When he heard Bobby talk to him, he realized he had pretty much forgotten the man was there too.

“All right, I get it, angels are real. How come you can call on them like that?”

“It’s a long and complicated story, Bobby.”

“D’you see me going anywhere? Spill.”

Dean couldn’t help but chuckle. “Got anything stronger than coffee?”

Instead of taking beers from the fridge, Bobby grabbed two glasses and a bottle of whiskey from the cupboard. And not the stuff he distilled himself in his basement; a legit brand name.

“So, now… from the top,” the older man said after taking a first sip.

And Dean told him everything, from why his mother died (he already knew parts of it) to his last day before waking up in 2003. Not once did Bobby interrupt him. All he did once in a while was quirk an eyebrow or huff at key events.

It was early afternoon when Dean reached the end of his story. The end of his 2021 story anyway. In his own opinion, finding Jimmy and making him cheat on his wife wouldn’t be relevant in the slightest.

“That shit’s so fucked up I can only believe you,” Bobby eventually said. “But at the same time…”

“I know. I’m expecting you to call the loony bin to come and get me any second now.”

“You’re many things, Dean, but you’re not crazy. If you say that’s what’s to happen, then it is. Pretty much all you said about Revelations and the Apocalypse sounded about right. I wouldn’t have thought angels weren’t nice, though.”

“Like I said– ”

“I know, all but one.” Bobby smiled. “So that’s the great love of your life? An angel in a track suit?”

Not one to get embarrassed easily, Dean still felt his face flush a bit. “He wasn’t wearing that then. When I knew him he had a suit and tie. And a trench coat.” He swallowed, the lump back in his throat. “He wasn’t an angel either in the end. Not that it changed anything.”

Bobby nodded as he took the bottle to empty it in both their glasses. They drank in silence, Dean lost in his memories of the angel and Bobby digesting all he’d learned. After a while, Bobby grabbed one of the phones from the wall and dialed a number as a curious Dean looked on.

“Yeah, Stan… Bobby Singer here. Can you send a large pepperoni and bacon my way? Yeah… Yeah… Okay, why not. No, I’m good, thanks.” He hung up and turned to Dean. “We got a lot of research to do, boy. No time to cook something up for dinner. And you’re payin’,” he added as he walked in his study, making Dean smile.

They had been researching for hours, the whole pizza and mini cinnamon buns Bobby had ordered all consumed. Only on principle, Dean bitched about them not being pie but still stuffed his face with the dessert.

“Got anything?” Dean asked for the upteenth time, making Bobby huff.

“Nothing more than fifteen minutes ago. You’re sure that Chronos guy can’t help you?”

“Pretty sure he won’t. Especially if he ever learns we killed him… or, that we’ll kill him. You know what I mean.”

“And that spell thing your grandfather did… can’t you use that?”

“It’s not like I know what he did. But I’d kill to get my hands on the bunker’s key right about now.”

“I gotta admit, I’d love to see this place. The answer might just be there.”

“If it is, we’re fucked ‘cause we only get it in about ten years. Right now, it’s Henry who has it and he’s lost somewhere in time.” Dean groaned as he stretched his arms over his head. “Fuck, I really hate time travel.”

“Gotta say, looks much more fun in the movies.”

“Yeah… not gonna lie, I’ve stopped watching those a long time ago.”

Dean went back to reading the book in front of him. Or he tried, rather. He yawned, the letters dancing on the page. He looked at Bobby again, this time with droopy eyes.

“So… found anything yet?” he repeated with a pout.

“Jesus, boy, if you’re gonna ask me the same question every ten minutes, I’d prefer you didn’t try to help. Why don’t you just go call Sam already? He might like to know what’s happening. Then just go to sleep, I’d like some peace.”

Glad to have been relieved of research duty, Dean walked back into the kitchen, his phone on his ear. He got his brother’s voice-mail.

“Hey, Sam… huh… I’m at Bobby’s, told him everything. We’re doing research right now. Could use your help, man. If you can come for the week-end, Bobby will pay for your plane ticket.”

“Like hell I will,” the older man yelled.

“You know he will,” Dean replied for his brother’s – the machine’s – benefit. “Just call me back so we can make this happen, all right? Thanks, Sammy.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean’s lies start catching up to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There should be more action in the coming chapters, things will start to unfold soon. The idea’s there, just not written yet. I don’t have as much in advance as I did before. But don’t worry, I promised daily updates, I’ll make sure this keeps happening until it’s done.
> 
> Unless I get attacked by a poisonous apple… or eat a black hole… or fall into a velociraptor… you know, everyday and not weird at all threats.
> 
> Yet, if any of those things happen, please know that I love you all and enjoy reading your thoughts and feelings and I’m so ever grateful that you’re taking this journey with me. 
> 
>  
> 
> So… thank you!!!
> 
> .

He may have loved to drive, Dean still was pissed that Sam had refused to come down, even if just for a week-end. _‘Got this important class Monday. Gotta study. I’m tired. Blah blah blah,’_ he had objected, giving Dean an excuse to call him a bitch – it _had_ been a while since. But at least he hadn’t objected for Dean to be driving down there.

Both Bobby and Sam insisted that Dean should man-up and fly there instead of driving. But he didn’t budge. Even though at one point he had a fleeting thought about calling on Cas again and asking him for a lift. But he hated angel-zap just as much as planes, so a two-day trip with Baby it was.

He left Bobby’s early Thursday morning, stopping in Rawlins, WY for the night. Friday morning he was on the road again only to stop in a sleazy motel a couple of miles outside of Reno, NV.

Hadn’t he been so tired, he would have taken a quick shower before going to the casinos and play a little poker. But as soon as the room’s door closed behind him, he fell face forward on the bed without even taking his boots off.

He probably had only slept for a couple of hours when Dean was awoken by a sharp pain in the face. Even before opening his eyes, he had his gun drawn out, ready to shoot. He let out an exasperated breath when he saw Castiel standing next to his bed.

“Damnit, Cas… what the fuck’s your problem?” He moved his jaw from left to right, making sure it was still functional.

“Not Cas,” the other man answered in a tight voice, his eyes almost glowing with fury.

“Jimmy?”

“Why did you lie to me?”

The anger in the man’s voice gave Dean goosebumps, and not the good kind. He swallowed and tried to feign innocence. “What are you talkin’ about?”

“Amelia and Claire… why didn’t you tell me?”

Dean sat up in the bed with a groan. He brushed a hand over his face to wipe the pain and sleep away, as well as the shame.

“Look, Jimmy, it’s not what– ”

“I started remembering, Dean. At first I thought they were nightmares but then… then I realized they were memories. _Your_ memories, the ones you showed Castiel.” He took in a shaky breath. “How could you do this to me? How can you be this selfish?”

“Selfish? How the hell am I being selfish?”

Jimmy came closer to the bed and, once more, clocked his jaw. “Can you tell me you didn’t wanna get in my pants that whole time? Or that you didn’t want your precious angel to come back to you? Who cares if it means that my wife will die and my kid will be shipped god-knows-where in some hick town, right?” 

Jimmy bunched his fists in Dean’s t-shirt who let him do it. Dean knew he had lied, and couldn’t hold it against Jimmy to be pissed. So he relaxed his body, choosing not to fight him. Except when Jimmy’s fist came swinging at him once more, he didn’t let it hit him. Instead, he grabbed Jimmy’s arm and worked on immobilizing him. 

He used some of the wrestling move he’d learn in school way back when. Something meant to immobilize your opponent, make them submit.

“Get the hell off of me,” Jimmy said in a snarl, now stuck underneath Dean.

“Not before you listen to me,” Dean said, trying to speak as calmly as possible.

Instead of listening, Jimmy wiggled under him, trying to free himself. Except Dean had both the muscle and the experience on his side. It took about five minutes for Jimmy to calm down and stop moving.

“You ready to listen now?” Dean said without loosening his hold.

The other man glared at him but still nodded.

“I didn’t tell you because– ”

“There’s no excuse for– ” Jimmy tried to say before squealing as Dean put some more weight on him.

“Shut up, and listen. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure at first how to handle this _Back to the Future_ business. You know, changing history and all that crap.”

“Pretty sure that was shot in the face the second you begged me to fuck you.”

Dean felt his ears flush at the memory. “I know, I know… but… I didn’t know how to tell you, all right? How do you tell someone their family’s going to shit. And how you’re the one responsible on top of it all.”

“You be a man about it and say exactly that.”

“Look… I know you’re pissed, I get it. But we’re trying to make sure all that shit never happens, okay? And even if it does, you don’t have to say yes to Cas ever again. You’re done and nothing bad should happen to you or your family.”

“How are you gonna change it?” Jimmy’s stare wasn’t less dark but now held a flicker of interest too.

“I got my friend Bobby to believe me. He’s doing research right as we speak. I’m on my way to see my brother to tell him everything.” Dean didn’t let his guard down but did loosen his grip a little. Jimmy stayed still. “I’m gonna do all I can so what you saw doesn’t happen again.”

“What if you fail?”

“Then when Cas comes back to you, just say no and forget about him. Keep your family safe.”

“What if he comes after my daughter? Because he did once, didn’t he?”

The weight of everything became heavy on Dean’s shoulder again, making him slump forward. Their faces were a little bit too close and, at the same time, a little bit too far.

“Tell her, Jimmy. Explain how she can’t say yes if an angel asks her in. If you gotta keep it a secret from your wife, do it. But please… if I fail, don’t you or Claire say yes.”

Jimmy let his head fall back, the will to fight having left his body. He swallowed and scrunched his eyes, making a couple of tears fall towards his temples. “What about you?”

“I guess I’ll just rot in hell. Or some other angel will rescue me. But you and your family will be safe.”

“What about you and Cas?”

It was Dean’s turn to close his eyes. He wasn’t even holding Jimmy down anymore, only sitting on his legs as if he belonged there. Somehow, he kind of felt like he did.

“It just won’t happen.” Dean swallowed, fighting the prickling in his eyes. “It’s not like we had such a great life together anyway. We’re both just better off.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers are back together. Everything should be okay…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t WAIT to have the brothers be together again… even though it’s not the right versions, it’s still them at heart, you know?
> 
> I can only hope you guys will be happy to see him too. Now… is he going to be able to help? Well that’s a whole other question, isn’t it?
> 
> Again, I can’t thank you guys enough for reading, and commenting, and liking, and… hmm… yeah… all that stuff… I love that stuff!!!
> 
> See you tomorrow!! <3 <3
> 
>  
> 
> .

Dean woke up alone, half relieved and half aching for a body to hold. The sun wasn’t even up when he took the road again. He stopped at Sparks’ Biggerson’s to treat himself with their biggest coffee and a piece of blueberry pie just because he very well deserved it.

He mentally patted himself on the back to have made sure to get into Palo Alto on a Saturday morning. There was a bit of traffic but never as bad as it would have been during the week, or so he thought. Six hours later, he parked the Impala in yet another Biggerson’s lot, this time right next to Stanford University.

Already sitting in a booth, Sam was waiting for his brother with his nose in a book; something about law probably. Dean laughed as he grabbed his brother’s shoulder, making him jump.

“Sammy!” he said as he pulled him up for a hug. He had seen him only a couple of days ago, in 2021, but he still felt the need to be close to him. He soon let go and went to sit on the opposite side of the table. “You look good… I like your hair short like that.”

Used to having Dean give him shit for his hair, Sam quirked an eyebrow at him. “Really? You think my hair’s short now?”

“Dude… where I’m from, you have enough for a fucking ponytail, so yeah… that’s short. You should keep it that way.”

“You know that only makes me want to never cut them again, right?” Sam said with a smirk just as the waitress came to stand beside them.

The young brunette with ‘Suzy’ on her name tag smiled at the men, tapping the tip of a pen on her notepad. “I see your guest is here… are you boys ready to order?”

“I’ll have some more coffee and french toasts, please. The Berrypalooza ones.”

“And I’ll have coffee too, black, and your steak and eggs plate. Sunny side up, medium rare.”

“Gotcha. I’ll be back soon with your coffees.”

They waited for Suzy to come back and leave again before really getting to talk. It was Sam who broke the ice.

“So… 2021… do cars fly?”

Dean scowled at his brother even though he knew he wasn’t being serious. “Yeah, Sammy… Cars fly, we got robots to do all the work and food comes in tiny little pills.”

“Come on, you would have asked me the same thing.”

“Yeah, okay… I totally would have.” Dean chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee. “But nah… not much stuff’s different I guess. Oh, they made another Star Wars Trilogy… a sequel this time. Better than the prequels, but never as good as the original ones. They made Star Trek movies too… they’re pretty good actually.”

“So… all people do is make movies? Nobody lives on the moon or anything?”

“Nope… they went to Mars and found water but that’s about it. And they keep taking Pluto on and off of the planets list. Somebody somewhere’s got too much time on their hands.”

They stopped talking again, Suzy already back with their orders. They thanked her and started eating, both seemingly famished. Sam started asking questions only after gulping about half of his breakfast.

“So… what’s so bad about the future that you want to change it?”

“You have no idea, Sammy… the things we’ve done! Did you know that you and I, we’re straight from the Cain and Abel lineages?”

Sam smirked. “Dean, pretty sure everyone is.”

“No, I mean… direct lineages. Anyway, not important, that comes later but… Okay, I’ll try to keep this short, all right?”

It took about three hours, several refills of coffee and a piece of cherry pie for Dean to finish his story. Sam, who had stayed quiet the whole time, was now looking at his brother with a mix of hurt and awe. Maybe with a little bit of anger too.

“We’re not that stupid, Dean… are we?” he finally said, flabbergasted.

“I wouldn’t say we’re stupid, Sammy. Of course when you hear it all at once, without all the technicolor and special effects, it sounds like we’re the dumbest shit… But we’re not… We’ve been manipulated since our birth… our parents were, and their parents before them… all the way up.”

“Okay… so what does that mean? From what you say this is all our destiny and the angels won’t let us change the future. Michael made sure of that the first time.” He paused, brows furrowed. “Really? I’m _Lucifer_ ’s vessel? And you’re Michael’s? And we’re supposed to fight to the death?”

“All true, man. And that’s just a small part of it. I’m telling you, man. If we can kill Azazel now, none of that shit will ever happen.”

“And how do you wanna do that?”

“We need the Colt… and we need to know where the bastard is gonna be. The first part’s easy, I know who has the gun and where he is. The second part though, not as easy. If we can’t get our hands on Dad’s journal from my time, we’ll have to wait over a year to be able to get the demon. I know where he’s gonna be but… I can’t wait that long, man.”

“Aren’t there omens that could help us track him?”

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t know what they are. Dad’s not even answering his phone anymore. I’ll try to ask Cas to go to 2021 again and grab the journal. All of Azazel’s sightings should be written in there.”

“Right… you think… you think I may be able to meet him?”

“Who? Azazel?”

“No, Castiel.”

“Maybe, yeah… you guys became pretty good friends. Even if at first he wanted to kill you,” Dean said with a grin. 

Sam didn’t reply, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was supposed to become some demon blood junkie, among other things. Not that he intended on letting any of that stuff happen this time around.

“So now what? Unless you know where to get a DeLorean, we don’t– ”

“You’ve got this humongous brain, Sammy… I’m sure you can find a way to get to this creep, all right?”

Sam huffed, bewildered by how easy it had been for Dean to reel him back in. “But no pressure, huh?” he said, a defeated expression on his face. They both knew he could never refuse to help out his big brother.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas comes bearing some news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where this story "really" gets it’s mature rating… so if you don’t like that stuff, you may want to look away until tomorrow’s chapter. :P
> 
> But if you like that stuff then… huh… it’s not super smutty or anything (it’s Mature, not Explicit).
> 
> I guess that finally grants the story with its Destiel pairing as well. loll
> 
> See you tomorrow guys and, again, thank you so very much for reading, and liking, and commenting and… whatever it is you do! I appreciate every last one of you! :D
> 
>  
> 
> .

The room Dean rented close to campus was one of the nicest ones he’d had since waking up in his car. He had to love university towns. 

Automatically, his mind went south, thinking about all the pretty girls that’d be drinking the night away in one of the numerous bars he saw on his way. Again, university towns were awesome.

But he shot the idea down, somehow not in the mood to go and pretend he wanted to bang some chick that’d be way too young for him. Not that she’d know that, but he certainly would. Or maybe, just maybe, his hesitation could have had something to do with a certain angel and his vessel.

Which, in itself, was the most fucked up thing to ever happen to him.

So he stayed in, soaking up the beers he had shared with Sam by stuffing his face with a cheeseburger and fries. On the TV, young hopefuls were belting out some inane tunes for a couple of bored judges. Dean would have preferred to spend the night in Sam’s dorm but, for once, he didn’t say a word when his brother said he needed to study.

If Dean’s plan was to be successful, Sam would need the grades so he could become the best lawyer in America. Then he’d then marry Jessica and they’d have a dozen kids and none of them would ever have to face a single monster _ever_. 

“You very well know that’s not how it works, Dean.”

Castiel’s voice made Dean jump, making him almost drop his beer. “Jesus, Cas… couldn’t you just, I don’t know, knock on the door or something? I swear I didn’t miss this shit at all when you turned human.” The second he said the words, Dean wished he could take them back. At least, the angel didn’t seem to have been bothered by them.

“I didn’t think Jimmy’d let you use him again. And while we’re there, thanks for bringing him over just so he could beat the crap outta me.”

“I hadn’t known this was his purpose. I was under the impression he wanted to be intimate with you again.” Castiel spreaded his arms and looked down at himself. “But this is not Jimmy… it’s merely a representation of him.”

“You can do that?”

“I don’t need an actual body to visit you in your dreams, Dean. I thought you’d still appreciate this form, since it’s the one you know best.”

Not listening to the angel anymore, Dean looked around. He still was in the room in Palo Alto, and American Idol was still playing on the TV. “I’m not even sleeping,” he said with a frown.

“I’m sorry, but you are. Which is why I can be here talking to you. I come bearing news.”

Castiel came to sit on the bed. Another thing Dean would have to tell him to stop doing. Eventually… Maybe…

“It appears that your presence here has garnered attention from my superiors. Micheal, mostly. This is another reason I’m visiting you in your dream. Knowing about your fate, I would imagine that letting Michael know where you are would be a grave mistake.”

“No shit, Sherlock. So what, Michael’s gonna come find me send me back home? Not that it would be all that bad, mind you.”

Castiel gave Dean his best confused frown. “I thought you wanted to change the future?”

“And I thought you didn’t want me to,” Dean only said back, trying not to let the angel’s endearing habit throw him off.

“You could say that I’ve decided to not stand in your way if this is what you want to achieve. That’s what free will is all about, isn’t it?”

Somehow, the space between Dean and Castiel had considerably decreased. Dean didn’t remember himself or Cas moving at all. He pushed himself away, just enough so he wouldn’t feel the angel’s body heat anymore.

“Thanks for warning me, I guess. At least I will have tried.”

“Michael won’t find you. I saw how my future self branded your ribs, so I did the same a couple of nights ago. I think you would appreciate that I did this while you slept since it seemed to hurt last time.”

“Like a sonofabitch, yeah… but how did you find me right now?”

“I didn’t… it’s a dream, remember?”

Again, both men had little to no space between them. Dean blinked a couple of times, confused. Or maybe he shouldn’t have been; weird shit happened in dreams all the time, right?

“Why do you keep putting distance between us?” Castiel asked when Dean pushed himself back once more. “I thought you’d like us being close.”

Dean groaned, his brain, heart, and body at war with one another. “Damn it, Cas… you really don’t get it, do you? I lost him… the other you. And when you do this shit, it’s very difficult to resist.”

“Then don’t.”

In the blink of an eye, the angel was straddling Dean’s lap. The hunter couldn’t hold a chuckle at the ridiculousness of the situation, making the angel squint at him.

“Cas, you don’t even know what you’re doing,” Dean said, his last word ending in a squawk when Castiel started grinding their crotches together.

“Is that so?”

Seeing Castiel’s smug expression, Dean had to wonder if he had taken cues from the memories or if he always had it in him. Because the Castiel he had known, at this point in his life, shouldn’t have been comfortable with anything sexual… or even social for that matter.

“One of the things your memories didn’t show me was how you look in the throes of passion. I saw myself through your eyes, and I could feel how delighted it made you. Now I want to see you, feel it all for myself.”

Closing his eyes, Dean didn’t respond, relishing in the feeling of those hands back on his body again. He gave out soft moans as the beloved lips traveled all over his chest and belly, mirroring what he had himself tried to do last time they met in a dream.

Except this time, there were no interruptions.

They were soon naked – the magical way – with Castiel getting a taste of the hunter’s sex. It felt different, understandably not as practiced, but Dean didn’t care. He had his angel back and the more it went, the more the differences between the two were dissolving.

He came quickly with a choked cry inside Castiel’s mouth. As the angel drank him down, he didn’t fight the tears from spilling onto his face. He would have loved to say something but he couldn’t, the lump in his throat much to heavy. So he thought it instead, sending the words as a prayer to _his_ angel. 

_‘I love you.’_

Castiel took his mouth off of Dean’s softening length and gave him a soft smile.

“I know,” he responded before crawling up Dean’s body to join their lips together.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is another player entering the game or is Dean just being paranoid?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are unfolding… or they will actually, very soon. (or maybe they are for me because I’m a couple of chapters ahead of you)
> 
> Anyway, it’s coming… I’d think the end should be coming within a week… something like twenty-five chapters in all? Unless my muse decides what I’ve had in mind isn’t what should be (and if that’s the case, I just may have to tie her down and gag her so she’d let me finish this).
> 
> I hope you will like this chapter… I can’t thank you enough for reading and commenting… I appreciate every single word you send my way.
> 
> See you tomorrow my dears!
> 
> .

Dean had been at the library for a couple of hours already. He and Sam met in the morning but the younger Winchester still had to attend some lecture thing – who the fuck teaches a class on a Sunday, seriously? 

Quickly bored, Dean had started browsing the internet on Sam’s laptop. A lot of the websites he liked to visit weren’t even up yet, something Sam would certainly appreciate if he knew. Except Dean had managed to find other interesting sites. Sitting at the most remote table in the room was now proving to have been a great idea.

But he got bored with that soon too, especially since he couldn’t do much of anything while sitting in public. So he went back to research, trying to remember what he might have read in his father’s journal. He tried to look up the usual omens or events but this 2003 internet business certainly wasn’t as great as the one he left behind.

As he read a news article about flocks of birds slamming into houses a state over, he felt a familiar prickle in the back of his neck. Noticing a shadow moving in his peripheral, he turned just in time to see a tall silhouette disappear between two rows of bookcases.

At first, he thought he recognized the form as Cain. He may have been dead in his own days but not in 2003. So he abandoned his computer and books to run after the dark figure, eager to know.

Dean followed where the shadow had vanished. He started jogging through the aisles, keeping an eye out for the creep, without much success. He turned a corner only to find himself back at his table, his brother now sitting there waiting for him.

“Where were you?” he said as he fiddled with the computer. “Really, Dean? Porn on my computer? In the fucking library?” he asked in a low voice, his whole face pinched in frustration.

“I thought I saw someone, guess I was wrong. And yeah, I got bored so… porn!”

“Who do you think you saw? only said Sam, glossing over the whole porn thing.

“Didn’t see much, made me think of Cain for a second but… I don’t really think I’m on his radar just yet.”

“What did he look like?”

“Like I said, I didn’t see much. I just know he was tall and walked a bit hunched. Maybe it’s some old teacher or something.”

“Well… there’s this guy that’s been hanging out on campus for a while now. Tall, long grey hair and beard… he wouldn’t be the first homeless guy to hang out around here, or so I’m told.”

“They let bums get away with that?”

Sam shrugged. “He’s never asked anyone for money or anything. He just seems to like hanging out around here. Nobody’s even seen him going through the trash either so I guess they just tolerate him.”

“Maybe he’s a perv who likes to hang around kids,” Dean said, making his brother roll his eyes.

“Not everyone’s like you, Dean. Not everything’s about sex!”

The older Winchester couldn’t have disagreed more, but he let it go, not in the mood to start bickering with his _very young_ kid brother.

“Did you at least find anything interesting?” Sam asked, apparently in the same kind of mood.

“Nope! I don’t really know what to look for, to be honest. It’s dad who’s been hunting the thing and he’s never told us how he tracked him. Even then, he’d always be a step behind, just a hair too late.”

“Did you try to call him?”

“Left him a couple of messages but he didn’t call back. He did call Bobby though, so I know he’s not dead.”

“That’s a relief, I guess.” 

Again, Dean decided to ignore Sam’s acidic tone. He may have been back from the future, it didn’t mean the circumstances of Sam’s departure had been any different. He still felt lucky Sam would have agreed to see him.

“Not sure one more person would be of any help anyway. Bobby’s helping, the you from 2021 is too, and Cas hasn’t been totally useless.”

“Couldn’t he find the demon and just… I don’t know… smite him?”

“Maybe. But if he’s not gonna stand in my way, he says he’s not gonna help either. Not to that extent anyway.”

Sam’s face scrunched in another sour pout and shook his head. “What good is he for, then?”

Dean shrugged, thinking back to the previous night. Oh, he knew the angel was good for something all right, except his brother probably wouldn’t wanna know a thing about it.

“Let’s just try to find Azazel, all right? What do we know about that guy?” Dean said so they’d get back on track.

“I don’t know a single thing about him, except that he’s apparently a fallen angel.”

“No, no, he’s a demon. He’s got yellow eyes and– ”

“Not what it says here,” Sam interrupted him, turning his computer to show Dean what he had found. “Says he was cast out to the darkness… guess that means Hell. But yeah, your guy once was an angel.”

“He _your_ guy more than mine,” Dean muttered with a pout.

It was Sam’s turn to ignore his brother. He turned the computer to face himself again. “Even though we know that, I don’t think it can help us in finding him.”

“We gotta try and think like dad. We know what happened when Azazel came for you. He bled in your mouth, then mom caught him in the act and he… he killed her. We also know that the Colt can kill him and that it’s in Colorado.”

“Why didn’t you get it? On your way here, I mean.”

“You told me you could only spare a couple of days, Sam. I’ll just get it on my way back to Bobby’s.”

Sam nodded, apparently satisfied.

They stayed a long time, until the library closed at one AM, with only a couple of food and bathroom breaks. Sadly, when they parted ways with a hug and a promise to keep contact, they still hadn’t found anything helpful enough.

And when the answers came, it was in the most unexpected way.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who’s trying to help Dean if not Castiel?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna thank [firedrakewicked](http://archiveofourown.org/users/firedrakewicked) as I upload this chapter because, well… I went back and read my stuff a little more closely yesterday. And in that particular chapter, I found something that made me cringe. I’m not gonna tell you what it was (gotta keep the magic alive) but I hope I corrected it efficiently.
> 
> Lets just say that it would have been a distracting mistake, or so I think… continuity and what not! It may be a problem sometimes on the show but it doesn’t mean we should embrace it! :P
> 
> So thanks Firedrakewicked, I certain took your well-deserved critiques to heart and tried to smooth things out a bit more.
> 
> And to all of you, even though I don’t name you, every critique or encouraging word is just as inspiring… and I love you all for it, so thank you!!
> 
> See you tomorrow! <3
> 
>  
> 
> .

Had Dean turned on the lights when he came back to his room, he would have seen how it wasn’t exactly how he had left it. 

It’s only the next morning that he noticed, waking up to a strange crackling noise. His eyes still closed, he shifted his arm slowly to grip the gun under his pillow. But the noise ceased and all he could hear now was his own breathing and the soft hum of the A/C.

He waited a little while. Once satisfied, he shifted his body in a more comfortable position. Again, the crackling sound could be heard but this time, he recognized it. He’d been lying on a piece of paper, probably one of the hotel’s many pamphlets.

He flicked on the light and sat up, putting the gun on the bedside table. Stuck to his legs he did find a piece of paper, except it wasn’t a pamphlet. His heart stopped when he recognized it: a page from his father’s journal. If its yellow tint was anything to go buy, it was much older than what he’d find in his dad’s 2003 version of the book.

“Cas! Cas, come down here!” he yelled, too excited to think Castiel had no way of knowing where he was. After a couple of minutes, he remembered he’d been branded and prayed his location to the angel.

Again only wearing pajama bottoms, he appeared in the room a minute later. “Hello, Dean.” Worry was etched all over his face.

“Cas, did I ever tell you you’re awesome?” Dean blurted as he got up to hug the angel. “I can’t thank you enough, that’s exactly what we need. Now all I need to do is get the– ”

“What are you talking about?”

Dean pushed himself back, ready to laugh off the angel’s humoristic attempt. Except the confusion on his face seemed genuine enough. “The pages from my dad’s journal, with Azazel’s whereabouts. The pages from the future. That’s exactly what I needed. So, you know… thanks!”

“I told you I wouldn’t intercede. Not anymore than I did anyway. What makes you think I went forward in time to get them?”

“They didn’t get here on their own.”

“I shouldn’t even be here, Dean. But I give you my word, this wasn’t my doing.” 

Dean sucked in a breath. Castiel had never been that much of a liar. “Maybe it was Sam? 2021-Sam, I mean…”

“I never told him that you intended on changing the future.”

“He knows me well enough. He probably figured I’d try.”

An embarrassed silence fell on the room when Dean noticed how they were both only half-dressed. They may have done things, dream things, but he wasn’t about to make a move in the waking world. Even though he really _really_ wanted to.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” Castiel asked, seeing the change in Dean’s stance.

“What? No… I’m… I’m fine.”

“Dean, even though we were only intimate in a dream, it still felt pretty real to me. Wouldn’t you agree?”

As he spoke, the angel took a couple of steps towards the hunter.

“Yeah, well… that’s not your body so I say, hands off.”

“You had intimate relations with Jimmy as well. I doubt that he would mind us getting closer.”

“Cas… I never thought I’d ever say that to you but get your mind out of the gutter for a sec, okay? I woke up with a page from my dad’s journal stuck to my leg. I’d think it’s a little more important than whatever else you have in mind. So… I think you should go now.”

Dean turned around to grab his t-shirt from the floor and put it on. He found his flannel shirt bunched up under a pillow and smelled it. Yeah, he’d have to take a shower and change his clothes if he was to be out in public in any way, shape or form today.

“As I said before, it wasn’t my doing.”

“Whose is it, then? As far as I know, you’re the only one with enough juice to pull this off.” Dean crossed his arms on his chest. “Not that you’re so eager to help.”

“I keep coming when you call. I wouldn’t say I am unwilling.”

“Well, I’m starting to think you’re only coming to see me ‘cause you wanna get some.”

Again, Castiel squinted his eyes, confused. “Get some what?”

Dean chuckled. “Forget it… but I was wondering. Could Cain work this time travel shit?”

“Cain? No, he shouldn’t have that kind of power. Just as any demon, I’m afraid. Why do you ask?”

“I saw this guy yesterday… Sam seems to think it’s some homeless man that likes to hang out at his school. I didn’t see much of him except that he was tall… and pretty hairy. Pretty sure it wasn’t Big Foot.”

“Of course, Big Foot doesn’t exist. So you saw a man and surmised he may be Cain. Did you see his face at all?”

“Didn’t have time. Just his shape… even then, that’s not much to go on. Maybe Sam’s right, it’s just some random creepy dude who shouldn’t have been there, so he bolted.”

“You want me to take a look around town?”

“To find what? A tall guy with hair? There might be a couple of them around here, my brother being one of them.”

Without another word, Castiel vanished, only to reappear a couple of seconds later.

“The Father of Murder isn’t here. Your brother may have been right though. I saw many homeless individuals hanging about not far from here. Most were bearded and some taller than others.” 

A self-satisfied expression appeared on Castiel’s face as he once more tried to approach the hunter. “Was I helpful?”

With a short laugh, Dean could only nod and put a soft hand on the angel’s shoulder. “Yeah, Cas, you were. Thank you.”

A rare smile appeared on Castiel’s face. “I really should go now, it’s not safe for you with me here. I’ll bring Jimmy back home now. 

Despite his words, Castiel didn’t fly away. Instead, he locked his eyes onto Dean’s and waited. What for, Dean didn’t have a clue, but he still felt the need to stand even closer to Cas.

“What will become of us when you change the future?” Castiel asked in a low voice, his breath warm on Dean’s lips they were so close now.

“Nothing, I guess. I’ll be gone and my younger self will go on with his life. If all goes right, I won’t have to go to hell again and you won’t have to rescue me.” The logic behind Dean’s statement may have been infallible, it still hurt like a sonofabitch.

“But I could still see you again, couldn’t I?”

“I don’t know who you are at that moment in my life. And I know for a fact that I wouldn’t let himself… you know… be attracted to you. Not yet anyway.”

Castiel gave Dean a sad smile. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could utter a single word, he disappeared in a blinding white light.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to unfold in a way Dean would never have guessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys… I gotta tell you something. I’ve modified the tags a bit because the story took a turn I wasn’t expecting. Things are set to happen that many might not appreciate so… please make sure to check before you read more, all right? The last thing I want is to make you guys angry or uncomfortable with what’s about to go down.
> 
> I already have the "Castiel dead in the future" tag in there… but I have to add another name too… Again, this is all in the future. And I’m not saying it’s how the story will end, just know that sad and triggery stuff may be referenced. So here are the tags I added, just so you don’t miss one. (It may be a bit of a spoiler, but I say, better safe than sorry)
> 
> • Original Character Death(s) (DEAN in 2021)  
> • Witchcraft  
> • Powerful Sam Winchester  
> • Siblings rivalry  
> • Minor Character Death(s)
> 
> Also added some character and relationship tags too (but I won’t list them here… I don’t think they’re as important for you guys to know about)
> 
>  
> 
> If you can’t read the story anymore, I totally understand… and I’m sorry to have let you down. But, what can I say, stories often do that to me, they take on a life of their own and all I can do is buckle up for the ride.
> 
>  
> 
> Those who feel they can keep on reading, I hope you will appreciate this chapter. And this is me sending you love, candies, soft blankets and humongous hugs!!!
> 
> See you tomorrow… hopefully! ;)
> 
>  
> 
> .

In the motel room, facing Dean, stood John Winchester. But it was soon clear that he wasn’t the one at the wheel.

“Michael,” Dean said under his breath as a chill ran down his spine. Just like that, it was over; he’d be sent back to his own time and nothing would ever change. “What did you do to Cas?” he asked in a shaky voice.

“I sent him on a well deserved vacation, that’s all. I gotta say, I couldn’t wait for him to come to you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to find you. You two certainly develop an interesting bond over the years, don’t you?”

More shivers crawled up under Dean’s skin but he chose not to comment. “What did you promise my dad to get in his meat suit?”

“I promised to keep his family safe, which I fully intend on doing. I may also have implied that I’d tell him where to find Azazel.”

“But you won’t, will you?” Dean surmised, not surprised in the slightest by Michael’s agreeing head shake. “I think it’s really fucked up when a demon’s words are more reliable than an angel’s.”

“I don’t care what you think, Dean. All that matters is that you and your brother carry out the Prophecy.”

“The Apocalypse won’t happen, Michael. We stopped it before and if you try and make it happen again, we’ll still stop it.”

“You won’t if you don’t get your precious angel to help. And I’ll make sure of that.”

“If nothing changes, he’ll still rescue me from Hell.”

“No, he won’t.”

Horrified, Dean could only watch as Michael’s glowing palm approached his forehead. He closed his eyes, expecting to be sent back to 2021. But instead of the tumbling feeling in his gut, a high-pitched hiss filled his ears and a bright light glowed through his eyelids.

He opened his eyes to find his father’s lifeless body on the floor, Michael’s wings singed into the carpet. Towering over the corpse was that tall figure he had seen at the library, except this time he could see the man’s face. Or most of it, anyway.

Even with the long hair heavily streaked with grey and the bushy beard, Dean would have recognized the man holding the angel blade anywhere.

“Sam…”

His brother’s old and tired eyes fell on him. Dean took in the lines on the man’s face, knowing that was a much older version of his brother.

“What year?” he said, even though it wasn’t the first question he would have liked to ask. 

Before Sam could answer, there was a shift in the air and the room started shaking and lights flickering. Dean went to grab the gun from the bedside table and waited for whatever was coming. He glanced at his brother who winked at him and put a finger on his lips so he’d keep quiet.

The man that appeared in the room, Dean recognized him as Raphael’s masculine vessel, only younger. The archangel kneeled next to the body that had hosted his brother and brushed a hand on his forehead. As he straightened up, his eyes were dark on Dean.

“You killed my brother,” he said to Dean, not even paying attention to Sam.

Dean’s eyes shifted slightly to his brother who was now standing between Raphael and the door. The archangel turned to check behind himself then looked back at Dean. “You won’t make it to the door. I’d love to send you to Hell but I can’t… so I’ll send you back where you belong instead.”

Just as Michael had done before him, Raphael raised a glowing palm towards Dean. And just as before, Sam pierced the archangel’s borrowed body with his angel blade.

As Raphael’s body dropped to the floor, Sam recited something undecipherable. Dean closed his eyes when the reality shift he had been expecting finally came. When he opened them again, him and his brother stood in the bunker.

“What the hell?”

As Dean waited for his stomach to settle, he observed Sam shucking off his long wool coat and throw it on one of the library’s table. The body that had been hiding underneath was shockingly thin, nothing to do with the iron-pumped dude Sam had still been back in 2021.

Sam hadn’t yet answered as to which year he was from, but Dean didn’t find it as important anymore. All he really wanted was to beat the crap out of him for killing their father. He swung his fist at his brother’s face but Dean tumbled over when Sam vanished.

On all fours, Dean looked around to find Sam sitting at the table with a beer in his hand. There was another bottle on the table, seemingly for Dean to drink.

“How can you do that shit?” Dean sputtered, very much weirded out.

“Have a seat, would you? There are many things I need to tell you.”

Wary, the older Winchester (by birth anyway) got up and came to sit next to his brother. He pushed the chair back as far as he could and rotated it to face him. There was no way he’d be letting his guard down now.

“I’m from 2045, Dean. I’m sixty-two years old.”

Dean looked impressed, but only for a second. “Why d’you kill Dad?”

Sam shrugged. “Michael’s the one I killed, and it’s not like I had a choice. Otherwise all of this would have been in vain.

“And what’s this, Sam? What’s _all of this_?”

“Making sure all that shit doesn’t happen, of course. I thought you would have gotten that already.”

“How do you want me to get anything? It’s not like I got a fucking manual.” Dean brushed a hand over his face to try and calm down. “So you did this? You sent me back?”

Sam nodded.

“Why don’t I look older like you do? And actually, I’d prefer to know _how_ you did it.”

“I don’t think it’s important how I did it. Just know that I can do pretty much everything I please now.”

“That really sounds shifty, man, and it smells real bad too. Smells a lot like witchcraft, actually.”

“You always did have a great nose.”

Unnerved, Dean took a long pull of his beer as he looked around the bunker. It was much more dusty than what he remembered.

“Are we back in 2021?”

“No, we’re still in 2003. You’re not done with your task yet.” 

Without another word, Sam pulled on his coat to start rummaging through the pockets. Dean’s eyes widened when he saw his brother take out the Colt and hand it to him. 

“And you’re gonna need this.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean hasn’t feared his brother more than at that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can only hope I didn’t lose too many of you with yesterday’s update. The next chapters may be a bit on the dark side, but be patient my lovelies… this is NOT a "everyone-is-doomed" type of story. Not saying everyone will be doing the right thing, or that they are right at this moment.
> 
> That’s the show, right? The boys doing stupid things 'cause they’re convinced it’s the right thing to do. And however the others try to make them see how wrong it is, shit ALWAYS hits the fan. (and by fan, I mean both the device and us… ha!)
> 
> I hope my time-travel ramblings can keep on entertaining you… Thanks to each and everyone of you for reading and commenting… 
> 
>  
> 
> See you tomorrow my sweets!
> 
>  
> 
> .

The weight of the Colt was familiar in Dean’s hand. His heart sped up at the thought of ganking the demon responsible for his shitty life… again. It wouldn’t make his mother come back but it just might give himself and his brother the semblance of a chance.

“The page with the dates is still at the motel,” Dean said, realizing he hadn’t had time to grab it.

“I’ll be sending you back there soon. We just need to hide for a bit. _You_ need to hide.”

“Raphael couldn’t see you back there, could he?”

This time, Sam smirked, obviously proud of himself. “The only version of myself the angels can see or sense in the one belonging to this timeline.” He leaned towards Dean, not smiling anymore. “In other words, I don’t exist.”

Except Dean wasn’t impressed in the slightest. “So what, you’re the wicked witch now?”

“It’s not like I have anything to lose, Dean. I don’t care if I’ll be going to hell, as long as I can change it all.”

“It can’t be that bad, Sam. You’re over sixty years old. I’m just surprised I would have let you do this.”

Sam let out a sad chuckle. “You didn’t get to grow old, Dean.”

Not that Dean found it surprising but it still hurt to know he had kicked the bucket. “When?” he asked.

“2021… less than a week after the day I send you back in time. Hunt turned bad, if you have to know everything. I always though you might have done in on purpose, to be honest.”

“You didn’t try to bring me back?” Dean asked, understanding how Sam could have believed that. He was in 2021 less than a week ago and dying would have been some kind of blessing. “I asked you not to, did I?”

“You did. You wanted to be with Cas again, so I let you go.”

Dean could feel the heat burning in his eyes. He swallowed the pain down as he blinked the tears away. “And then what? What could make you decide to send me back in time almost twenty-five years later? Whatever you want changed, you could have done it yourself. Hell, you could have gone back and make sure kill Azazel before he even got to Mom.”

Sam gave out a small laugh. “It had to be you, Dean, that’s just how it is.”

“Yeah well, that was a stupid idea. Even with Dad dead, I’ll keep on hunting.”

“Small hunts, Dean… If Azazel, and Brady, and everyone else that’s involved are dead, it’ll be much simpler.”

Dean’s jaw dropped at the news. “You killed Brady? Couldn’t you have just, I don’t know, exorcised him?”

“I didn’t kill him… not yet anyway. But we’ll have to. I don’t think 2003-Sam will want to explain monsters to his friend and how he used to hunt them. You and I both want the same thing, Dean. We want _me_ to have a life. You told me as much on more than one occasion.”

“I did. And I meant it, I did… but Sam, what about me? And Cas?”

For the first time, Sam’s expression was apologetic. “I’m sorry, Dean. I figured you’d understand losing him was worth the sacrifice.”

Even though Dean had had that same though only a couple of days ago, he couldn’t hide how angry the thought made him. “So what? I should sacrifice my own happiness so _you_ can go off and live a perfectly normal life?”

“You think I’m not sacrificing a single thing?” Sam’s expression had turned bitter. “In doing all this, I lose the most important thing in my life. Once again!”

“And what is that?” Dean could only hope he wasn’t refering to Jessica Moore… At sixty-two years old, he should have been over that already.

“I’d rather not– ”

“Sam, I swear to God… You’re expecting for me to not get with Cas at all, so I think I very well deserve to know why.”

Sam’s body shot up and he started pacing in the living room, wringing his hands together. “Because of Chris, all right? My… I have… I had a son. His name’s Christopher Dean Winchester.” 

Dean’s heart clenched when he heard the name. Sam had named his son after him.

“I lost him, Dean. Or, I will… whatever, it doesn’t matter anymore. He’s gone and if we play our cards right, he will never have to be born.”

“How old was he? And how did he die?”

Sam grabbed his beer to finish it in huge gulps. When he looked at Dean again, his eyes were red and glassy. “He didn’t die… he said _yes_.”

Once more, the realization of Sam’s words dawned on Dean, making him shiver. “Lucifer?” he only said, to which Sam nodded.

“And how about Michael? Is he… you know…”

“You’re not gonna like it.” Sam shook his head, as if berating himself for whatever was about to pass his lips. “He went to Ben.”

“Ben?”

“Braeden? Seems the kid was yours after all.”

This time, Dean felt the news hit him right in the gut. The next second he was dashing out of the room to empty his stomach in the closest bathroom. When he came back fifteen minutes later, Sam was drinking the beer he wouldn’t have been able to stomach anyway.

“I’m sorry,” Sam said, Dean not knowing if he was apologizing for the beer or Ben. So he just gave his brother a noncommittal shrug.

“Who won?”

“Nobody won, or else I wouldn’t be here. Seems spending a big chunk of time together in the cage helped them resolve some of their issues.”

“So… no Apocalypse?”

“Let’s just say they’re taking their time. But I can’t wait and let them try and screw the world all over again. We need to finish this _now_.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean can’t see the ingenuity in Sam’s plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may think I don’t like Sam, but I do… I really do… The version Dean’s dealing with right is utterly broken. And him being pretty much a carbon copy of his father,to some extent anyway… his need for revenge, mainly.
> 
> I’d think he was a much better father than John but, I get how not everyone has a bad opinion of him. So, I’ll leave it at that.
> 
> As I said in my notes yesterday, this chapter, and the next, may be a bit on the dark side. But resolution is on its way. And I think you guys may be pleased.
> 
> And yeah… more sexy times are to come as well… You know, people do like to get closer in desperate times. (spoiler? nah… just… a promise?)
> 
> Thank you guys for keeping up with me and my story, I totally appreciate you reading and leaving comments. You are my sunshines!!!
> 
>  
> 
> .

When Sam brought Dean back to the motel, it looked as if nothing had ever happened. Michael and Raphael’s vessels had vanished, just like the traces of their wings.

“Where’s Dad’s body,” Dean asked, his jaw tight.

“Don’t worry, he’s in a safe place. For now, just grab your stuff. You can’t stay here.”

Dean knew his brother was right so he complied. Ten minutes later they were in the Impala, leaving the motel behind.

“I missed her,” Sam said as he caressed the dashboard.

“What happened?” Dean asked, the image of his Baby from Zacharia’s future flashing before his eyes.

“You know a car’s only good for so long, right?”

“Yeah well, she’s perfectly fine in 2021… what did you do to her?”

“Don’t worry. I couldn’t keep driving her after you were gone. But she’s safe and sound in the bunker’s garage. That’s where she belongs, right?”

Even though he hated to think about his Baby being benched, Dean was still glad to hear she wasn’t rotting in some junkyard. He knew he wouldn’t have been able to stomach it, not after–

“Turn here,” Sam said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “To the right.”

Dean turned with much caution onto a small gravel road. It was pretty narrow, surrounded by huge trees and unkempt bushes on either side. The first obstacle came as a rusty iron gate closed with chains and locks.

“Now what?” Dean said. He turned to his brother to see him lift a hand. The next second, the heavy restraints dropped to the ground and the gate opened with a loud creaking noise.

A bone-chilling dread settled in Dean’s gut at the sight. It was just like those blood powers he once had. But he chose to keep silent for now. And, quite frankly, he was starting to fear his brother a great deal.

As if he had read his mind, Sam turned to his brother and smiled. “You don’t need to fear me, Dean. I would never hurt you.”

Sam’s words did nothing to ease Dean’s fear but he still swallowed it down and gently pressed the gas pedal. After passing the gate, he glanced in the rearview mirror to see it close again.

The road had turned to dirt, bathing the car in a permanent cloud of cinnamon-colored dust. Light invaded the cab again as the road lead to a wide clearing where stood a decrepit house. Well, more like a manor, really.

Shocked by the sight, Dean followed the driveway as it ran around a mossy fountain and stopped by the front steps. “What the hell?”

Sam didn’t say a word as he left the car to walk right into the house, not waiting for his brother. It took a moment for Dean to shake himself out of his daze and follow Sam, his duffel in hand. But a bigger shock awaited him inside the house.

If from the outside it looked as if about to crumble upon itself, the interior was nice and cozy, and even clean. Which, again, made Dean’s jaw drop.

“Welcome to my home,” Sam said with a smile. “For now anyway.”

“What the fuck’s that place, man?”

“I needed a place to stay and found this little gem. You wouldn’t believe how bad it was until I put my hands on it.” In any other situation, Sam wiggling his fingers as he said that would have been pretty comical.

“I thought you lived in the bunker.”

Sam shrugged and looked around. “I prefer when there’s windows,” he just replied.

Not that he didn’t already know, but it hit Dean real hard right there that Sam wasn’t himself. Not anymore anyway. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Send me back,” he said. “This is not right, I can’t do this with you.”

“You can’t send you back, Dean. You have to kill Azazel.”

“Mentor the younger me, kill the demon yourself, I don’t fucking care. I just can’t have anything to do with…” He waved a dismissive hand at Sam, “…with this. It’s just plain wrong, man.”

“Dean, you don’t get it…”

“Oh, I get it, believe me. You’re not the only one to have mourned someone. I’ve spent the last year trying to get over Cas, so believe me when– ”

“I. Lost. My. Nineteen. Year. Old. Son,” an enraged Sam said in a growl as he appeared right in Dean’s face. But this time, Dean didn’t let fear take over.

“How can you not see how wrong this is? Black magic, dude? Haven’t we killed enough witches in our time for you to not know how fucked-up this all is?”

“I never said black magic, Dean. You did.”

“I don’t care how you call it, it’s still the kind of crap we’ve been hunting our whole lives.”

Sam shook his head, taking a couple of steps back. “I know what I’m doing, Dean. It’s not like I’ve become someone else. I’m still me… only broken, I guess.”

“I get that, I really do. I’m so sorry for your loss, but I don’t think that you going dark side is the solution here.”

“When we’re done, I’m sending you back to your time, and I’m sending myself back to mine.” Sam turned his back to Dean and walked away. “Unless we cease to exist for whatever reason. It _is_ a possibility.” He sprawled his tall frame on the most hideous couch Dean had ever seen. “But even if I survive, I’ll be done. I’ll make sure nobody ever finds the Book of the Damned again, I promise.”

The shock of the news almost made Dean forget about the decor and made his knees buckle. “Oh, Sammy…” he said, even more convinced his brother had totally lost it. He remembered how the book had transformed an already pretty evil Rowena. Sam couldn’t have forgotten how powerful and dangerous she had become.

“Don’t worry, Dean. I won’t turn into her, I promise.” 

But Dean couldn’t trust the smile on Sam’s face anymore. Maybe that was why it turned into a bitter scowl. “You’re not thinking about _hunting me_ now, are you?” Sam asked.

“You seem to be able to read my mind so… you tell me.”

“Don’t waste your energies on me, big brother. Just take all I’ve given you and do the job. As soon as you're done, I’m sending you back to your time. You’ll see for yourself how good your life will have turned out.”

“And what about you? What will you do if you can get back to your time?” Dean’s voice had almost turned into a growl. “You want me to believe you’ll let all this shit go? I don’t think you could.”

“I got off the demon blood, didn’t I?”

“Not without help, you didn’t. And as far as I know, there’s nobody to help you this time around.”

This time, Sam’s smile was feral and if he thought he could, Dean would have run away.

“Crowley won’t let me… we have a deal.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Sam break Dean’s resolve down?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm… another darkish chapter… half of it anyway.
> 
> At least, Dean still has an ally out there. (Well, more than one but it’s not like he can go and reach anyone right now).
> 
> We’re getting closer to the end, my lovely peeps… Can’t say how many chapters still, but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now I will have to make choices… difficult choices…
> 
> Scared yet??? lolll
> 
> I’ll never thank you enough for keeping up with me and my ramblings… you’re all so very precious to me!!!
> 
>  
> 
> .

Dean had been sitting on a golden brocade couch for half an hour. He held his head in his hands, trying to make the stress headache disappear. Once in a while, he’d eye the door in the hopes his legs would feel strong enough to carry him. But each time he had to abdicate, knowing he wouldn’t make it three feet without his knees buckling.

From the other just as hideous couch, this one covered in purple velvet, Sam was looking at him with a concerned frown.

“When did you go all Liberace?” Dean asked, not even able to find his own joke funny.

“I didn’t chose it… only made it look like it once did. You know I don’t care about that stuff.” 

The older man leaned forward to put a hand on his brother’s knee. “Are you feeling any better?”

Dean looked up to scowl at him and shifted on his seat so Sam couldn’t reach him anymore. “What do you think? Of course I’m not… you fucking lost it man. I think I’d rather see you chugging on demon blood again.”

“Aren’t you being a little overdramatic?”

Sam’s laughter felt like thunder in Dean’s skull. “At least when you drank the blood, you thought you were doing the right thing.”

“I was wrong then, but I’m not this time. I wish you could see that.”

“You’re delusional, man…”

Starting to feel better, Dean pushed himself on his feet. “Too fast,” he muttered as he fell back down. He looked at his brother again to see a smirk on his lips. “Are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Oh, I don’t know… vertigo, limbs like wet noodles, cotton mouth…”

Sam didn’t need to answer for Dean to understand that indeed, his brother had been tampering with his ability to move freely. Or to run away, which was what Dean _really_ wanted to do.

“Sammy…” Dean’s tone was pleading now, “you’re supposed to be the smart one. How could you think that’d be a good idea? You say Crowley will make sure you quit this shit, but what if he’s not even there in that new future of yours. Did you even think about that?”

“What do you think? I’m didn’t travel here alone.”

The dizziness and dry mouth Dean felt at that moment weren’t his brother’s doing.

“Crowley’s here too? And you’re working with him?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. I remember yourself being pretty cozy with him at some point.”

A billion counter arguments swirled around in his brain but Dean couldn’t voice a single one. Instead, he leaned back on the couch and took a deep breath, hoping it’d help.

It didn’t.

“I don’t see how this is so difficult to understand, Dean. Remember when you took the Mark of Cain, convinced it was the only solution? Remember how it wasn’t such a good idea after all? Or the Darkness… did you forget about that as well?”

“It was the only solution at the time,” Dean said in a low voice.

“And this is the only solution, Dean. I swear, it’ll all be good, okay? Crowley’s gonna stay here and make sure Lucifer is never let out of his cage. All you gotta do is gank Azazel…”

“Why me?”

“Because it’s the only way you’ll ever get closure. With Dad and the demon gone, you’ll be able to stop… find yourself a new life, just like I will.”

Dean rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands, wishing the nightmare to end. “I don’t want a new life,” he said in a thick voice.

“Then why are you trying to change the future?”

Castiel’s voice startled Dean. He opened his eyes to find himself back in his 2021 bunker bedroom. He was dreaming again. “Sam, you bitch!” he muttered, knowing it couldn’t be a natural sleep.

“Where have you gone?” Castiel asked, not letting Dean answer his first question. “I went back to the motel the second I could and found it empty. And now Michael and Raphael are dead. Did you do this?”

Sitting in his bed, Dean motioned for Cas to approach and sit with him. The angel obeyed, a grave expression on his face.

“Sam’s gone crazy, Cas… he’s here, back from 2045 and pumped full of evil magic. He’s the one doing all this shit.”

“So he was the one to send me away?”

“No, that was Michael, wearing my dad. But Sam killed him, then killed Raphael when he came to finish the job.”

“How did he– ”

“The Book of the Damned… he found a way to fly under the angel radar.”

“Where is he now?”

“Some abandoned house. But I can’t tell you where, Cas. If you come, I’m pretty sure he’ll kill you too.”

“No, I won’t…”

Both the angel and the hunter jumped when they heard Sam. He too could invade dreams apparently. Castiel got off the bed and darted to stab the old man in the heart, which only made him laugh. In shock, Dean stayed on the bed, gaping at the scene.

“Come on, Cas… you know you can’t kill me in a dream. I knew you’d come and find Dean the second he’d be asleep.” He flipped his wrist and Castiel appeared back on the bed. “How have you been?”

“You killed my brothers. I _will_ get retribution.”

“You should be happy I did this, shouldn’t you? Dean didn’t tell you how Raphael once _killed_ you? I think you should thank me instead.”

Castiel squinted at Sam, fury seeping through every pore of his non-existent body. “I now see how you are the perfect vessel for Lucifer. You’re just as flawed… so prideful… self-righteous.”

Amused, Sam turned to his brother. “You’re gonna let your boyfriend talk to your little brother that way, Dean?”

“Right now, I’d let him do pretty much anything he pleases… even kill you,” Dean said in a snarl even though he really didn’t want his brother to die. Not even that version.

“You’re lying, Dean. It’s ingrained in you… you _have_ to protect me. Do as I ask and you’ll never have to worry about me ever again. It’s a promise.” Sam turned to Castiel and smiled. “I’m really happy to see you again, Cas. I’ll let you boys catch up now,” he said before disappearing.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All they’ll ever have again are dreams, won’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You’d think that there are more pressing matters to be dealt with but no… they had to go and go there!!
> 
> I’m pretty sure you guys won’t mind though… it’s not very graphic (I had said as much from the start) but I think it’s still pretty sweet. I hope… 
> 
> I’m pretty much done writing it all, looks like there’s gonna be 30 chapters in all. It could still change (more or less 1 chapter), but I don’t think it will… unless my last chapter turns into a monster. Then I might need a bit more for the conclusion.
> 
> I hope you appreciate this "slower" chapter… believe me when I say the next ones may be more of a bumpy ride. Or, I’ll call this chapter the drive up when you’re in a roller-coaster. It’s slow, exciting… and then your drop into the void while your heart’s still up in the air.
> 
> Wow… Sorry about that… I’ll stop with the analogies now and let you read the thing, all right?
> 
> Thanks again for reading and see you guys tomorrow!! :D
> 
> .

“Do you think Sam’s right?” Dean asked after informing Castiel of his brother’s plans. “You think we can pull this off?”

“Well… Michael’s dead, isn’t he? I still don’t understand how Sam could do this, to him or Raphael. They were _Archangels_.”

“He had an angel blade.”

“That’s not enough, Dean. Only an archangel sword would achieve that.”

“I saw him do it, man. The blade’s all he had. Maybe he made it more powerful somehow. He’s like… shit, I can’t even say what he is now.”

Castiel nodded, unable to find the words to ease Dean’s mind. He let his head fall on the hunter’s shoulder and sighed. “There are no archangels left to guide us. I’m afraid the angels may go astray like they did in your future.”

“You still got Gabriel.”

“He may not be dead but we still don’t _have him_ , Dean. He left Heaven a long time ago. Thanks to you, I know he’s disguised himself as a pagan God, but I don’t believe he’d interfere.”

Dean had always found Gabriel to be a major douche but still found he had redeemed himself in the end by confronting Lucifer. “Couldn’t he be a good stand in for God?”

“Nobody can replace God, Dean. Even with the best of intentions such a plan can only go awry. You showed me that much,” Castiel countered, brushing a soft finger over Dean’s temple.

Dean gulped at the thought. “All right, wrong choice of words. But I think he could bring some order to all that shit.”

“Don’t you think your brother would kill him before he even tried? May I remind you that he’s like a ghost to angels? Probably to every living creature except you. I’m afraid Gabriel doesn’t stand a chance against such power.”

“Even if he knows about Sam in advance? Like, I’m not saying I want him to _kill_ Sam but he could strip him of his mojo and send him back. Send _us_ back…”

Castiel let out another sigh, making Dean smile it felt so familiar. “I think I’d rather you didn’t have to go. You being here has certainly been… interesting.”

He wasn’t happy about the abrupt change of subject, but Dean went with it anyway. “Interesting? That’s one way of putting it, I guess.”

“Informative then?”

Dean didn’t respond, set on enjoying the proximity of the angel. If he could stay asleep forever, he’d do it. Especially knowing this thing between them was doomed to have never existed.

“What’s gonna happen when I go back to my time and everything has changed? You’ll remember me but... this Dean won’t. Not until I get back to my own time anyway.”

“Time does not scare or bother me, Dean. It will only be like seconds until I see you again.” With another soft sigh, Castiel nuzzled Dean’s neck, making him shiver.

“With no body of your own,” Dean said. “Does it mean we’ll be meeting in my dreams? No real touches ever again?”

“Not until we meet in Heaven, I’m afraid.”

“Then, I hope I don’t get to live another forty years after this.” Dean snuck a hand under the angel’s t-shirt to tease the skin with light touches. “Dream sex is awesome and all, but it’s never as good as the real thing.”

Castiel’s hips jerked when Dean’s hand found its way beneath the pajama’s elastic waistband. Already breathless, he latched his lips onto the hunter’s, licking his way between his lips. Soon, they were nothing more than a blurry mess of limbs, divesting each other as they rasped and grunted.

“Cas…” Dean let out, his voice thick with want. “I need it… need you,” he could only say, stumbling over his words.

Castiel let out a ragged breath. “Be more specific, Dean," he said through a tight jaw.

“Read my… my mind…”

The angel obeyed, connecting spiritually with the hunter as he sucked a bruise on his neck. The images that overflowed his mind wouldn’t have meant a single thing only a couple of days ago. Now, he couldn’t deny they were making him all kinds of hot and bothered.

Soon, their bodies were joined together in a way they hadn’t been for a long time, from Dean’s perspective anyway. For Cas, it was the first time. And even though it wasn’t real, it almost felt like it did, Dean ignoring the weirdness of them not needing any lube or preparation.

Later, as they came down of their high in each other’s arms, Dean had to ask that one question that had been bothering him for a while.

“Cas… how is it that you can… you know… do _this_.” As he asked the question, he shifted his hips so their spent dicks would brush together. “You were so scared when we went to that brothel, man. And that’s a couple years from now.”

“After seeing us together in your mind, I knew I didn’t have a single thing to fear. I only wish I could have my own body as I did in your future. But that would mean Jimmy had died, and you don’t want this to happen, do you?”

“No, I don’t. Him and his family get to have a second chance, and they totally deserve it.”

“Would you like me to search for another possible vessel? If Jimmy is out of the question, I imagine his daughter would be too.”

“Shit… no, Cas, not Claire. I’d never be able to… you know…”

“But she’s of age in 2021, isn’t she?”

“She’ll always be a kid to me… your kid…” Dean couldn’t say it, but he also considered her as _his_ kid in some ways. He pressed his lips on the angel’s, not wanting to talk about that stuff anymore. “Just tell me what I should do with Sam,” Dean said instead as he pulled away.

“I can’t tell you what to do, Dean. If I ever thought it was a possibility, I’d kill him.” Castiel ignored the shadow of anger in his lover’s eyes. “I know you love him, but this incarnation of your brother is evil, Dean.”

“I know… but I can understand where he’s coming from too. I’ve lived this life and frankly, it’s been hell from start to finish.” 

His anger shifted to tenderness, if only for a second. 

“And then there was you.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean agrees to do what Sam is asking of him… it’s not like he has any other choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta be honest with you guys, this is becoming difficult… this story has taken over my life… I’m supposed to be working on my DCBB as well and lastly, I haven’t been able to switch from one to the other. 
> 
> No fear, I’m not abandoning you, but I’m real glad it’s almost over… then I’ll be able to focus on this other project. I may finish writing this here today so… that’d mean another five or six chapters after this one.
> 
> Sorry for the bit of ranting, I just hate being stuck when I write! lolll Luckily, for this story, it seems to be running smoothly. I hope you’ll like this new chapter… 
> 
> I can never thank you enough for keeping up with this little story, even though it’s far from perfect… But you know what? I’m okay with that… it may lack perfection but it doesn’t lack love!!! 
> 
> (gosh… this is what happens before I’ve had a whole cup of coffee… three sips are NOT enough to be allowed operating a computer!)
> 
> See you tomorrow my lovelies!!! <3
> 
>  
> 
> .

“I’ll do it.”

That was the first thing Dean said when he woke up again, making Sam’s smile widen. On the coffee table he put the Colt and their father’s torn pages from the journal.

“You know, you could have just brought the whole thing, Sam. You didn’t have to go and destroy it.”

With a huff, Sam rolled his eyes and John Winchester’s entire journal replaced the pages. “Happy?” he said.

Dean didn’t answer, instead taking the leather bound book with a prudent hand, as if it were to bite him. He found the pages easily, back in the book as if they had never been ripped out.

“What date are we?” he asked Sam. He knew he had checked the date at some point but he couldn’t remember what it had been.

“November 20… It’s Thanksgiving next week.”

Dean nodded as he looked through the journal’s page to find Azazel’s next _sighting_. He couldn’t hold a string of curses when he finally found it. Dean looked at his brother, eyes squinted.

“Can you fly?” he asked, even though he doubted his brother had any angelic powers.

“Of course not, Dean… don’t be ridiculous.” Sam brushed a hand on his pant leg, flattening a non-existent crease. “But I can teleport… it’s the best way I could describe it, I guess.”

“Tele– of course.” Dean had to bite his tongue not to comment anymore than that. He had decided to do the job, so he thought best to keep his thoughts to himself. “Dad wrote Azazel is gonna be in Arizona tonight. Even with the best of intentions, I could never get there in time. And then it’s another two months before his next appearance.” Dean couldn’t hold the sadness in the stare he sent to his brother. “But you knew that already, am I right?”

Sam smiled and dodged Dean’s question. “Are you asking me for a lift?”

“Can you do it?”

The smug look on Sam’s face was answer enough but did nothing to reassure Dean. Still, he grabbed the Colt and looked in the chamber to see it full. As far as he knew, it shouldn’t have been but at this point, nothing seemed to be as it once was anyway.

As he fiddled with the Colt, he wondered if it could take out his brother or if his extra juice had made him immune to its power.

“Would you even be able to pull the trigger?” he heard Sam say. “Believe me, Dean… if I thought you’d have the balls to kill me, I wouldn’t have given it to you. But if you have to know everything, I’m not one of those things the Colt can’t kill. Mainly because I’m not a _thing_ …”

“And what makes you so sure I won’t use it on you?”

“Because if you do, you’ll be stuck here. You’d have to relive it all, Dean. Don’t you feel like you’ve been on this Earth long enough already?”

Again, Dean chose not to answer. Because he would have no choice but to tell him he was right. He put the gun back on the table.

“Now what?”

“Now we wait, I guess. I’d send you back to sleep again but Castiel won’t come to you. Right now, he’s busy informing Bobby of all that’s happening. Not that either of them will be able to do anything against us.”

“How do you know that stuff?”

“I’m connected, Dean. You think I’m high on dark magics but I’m not. It’s power in its rawest form… Remember how you felt Purgatory was pure? This is same thing. I’m in tune with everything, everyone, everywhere.”

Dean’s stomach rumbled, making him wince. He would have liked to think his body was revolting against this new Sam or something, but he was just hungry. And somehow, thinking about eating now didn’t seem like the best idea. When his body betrayed him again, he sighed, defeated. “Got any food in this joint?”

“No, not really. What would you like?”

“I don’t care, let’s just go somewhere. This place gives me the creeps.”

“I would prefer if we waited here. You don’t look so good.”

With another flick of his wrist, Sam made bags of takeout food materialize in front of them. “Your favorite from that place in Missouri you never shut up about.”

“Conner’s?” Dean asked, eyeing the bags with apprehension.

“Yup… eat up while it’s still hot.”

Dean looked at his brother who grabbed the bag closest to him to take out a neatly wrapped burger and a cup of fries. “What? No salad?”

“I might not have long to live, why not indulge myself?” Sam said with a wink, making his brother shudder. “Don’t worry, it’s real food… just another perk of being all… powerful and stuff.”

Without a word, Dean grabbed his own bag and found similar items. He flattened the paper bag on the table and unwrapped his bacon cheeseburger, his stomach growling again in anticipation. He was so hungry now that he didn’t care how the food had come to be, all he wanted was to sink his teeth in the greasy sandwich.

“Good?” Sam said when he heard his brother moan around his first bite. Dean nodded, barely waiting to have swallowed before taking a second bite.

“Beer?” Dean asked around his third bite. A chilled El Sol appeared on the table, already decapsulated. Dean nodded his thanks and took it, downing almost half in one huge gulp.

Food had this great advantage of giving an excuse to the boys to not talk for a while. Dean, even though he was grateful, didn’t thank his brother for the warm apple pie he found at the bottom of his bag. And even though it was sweet, and warm, and spicy, Dean couldn’t totally enjoy the treat, knowing how magical food could turn bad in an instant.

“Feeling better now?” Sam asked after making all traces of their lunch vanish.

“Not hungry anymore, so that’s good. When do we leave?”

“I’ll take you there ten minutes before midnight so you can shoot the bastard the second he appears. We have plenty of time left.”

Dean looked out the window to see the sun had started to set already. The room was soon bathed in orange light and neither men spoke as the night settled. At some point, the lights in the house lit up, undoubtedly Sam’s magical doing again. Only on principle, Dean scowled at him and his useless display of powers.

Sam looked ready to retaliate when he perked up then vanished from the purple sofa without a single word. At that moment, Dean’s first instinct was to run to the door, take the Impala and go. But when he tried getting up, he had to forfeit, his legs unable to support his own weight.

“Motherfucker,” he yelled, throwing an unsatisfying punch at the couch.

The word wasn’t done echoing in the vast space when Sam appeared again. Without a word, he pushed the man he had brought back so he’d sit next to Dean.

Sam’s smile was so sharp it could have cut glass. And his tone wasn’t any softer.

“Tell me, Bobby… where in time did Castiel just send himself?”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something’s not right with Sam… in case nobody had noticed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are SO lucky… today’s a National Holiday for me (well, not just me, but… yeah…) and I’m STILL feeding you with a story. This is how much I love you guys!
> 
> (Puts up a cross and hangs herself on it) See?
> 
> Did I tell you I’m slowly going crazy? I kinda feel close to Sam right now, believe it or not. Or maybe it’s just like cooties and I caught some of his crazies… (I gots the crazies)
> 
> Wish I had the excuse of being caffeine free to say dumb shit. I don’t… yet, I think I’ll go have some more. (and no, I’m not drunk… I know a national holiday is the perfect excuse to drink, but I don’t do that… or hardly… so… yeah… that’s sober little me rambling on and on.)
> 
> *giggles uncomfortably* okey dokey… I’ll be going now, my lil' sweet potatoes! I hope you’ll enjoy this chapter and I’ll see you tomorrow!
> 
>  
> 
> .

“What the hell, Sammy?” Dean yelled as he helped Bobby sit more comfortably. But the older man wouldn’t have it, swatting Dean’s hands off of him.

“Cut it out, Dean, I can handle my own,” he said in a gruff, pushing himself away from the younger hunter. He turned to Sam. “So _that’s_ what you become… and to think I told John he was going mad when he told me about all that evil shit.”

The look on Sam’s face made Dean shiver, all too reminiscent of that version he had encountered in a rose garden in some other timeline.

“What Dad told you about, that’s not what this is. It’s something that happened so, _so many_ years ago… But it won’t be an issue once we’re done here.” He sat back on the purple couch and leaned forward, capturing Bobby’s eyes with his own. “Now tell me, Bobby… I know the angel went to see you, so it won’t help anyone if you try to lie about it.”

“What, I can’t have people visit me?”

“Don’t play dumb, old friend. It doesn’t suit you. Now, I would imagine that you came up with some plan. I really think you should share it with me.”

“Like hell I should… if I knew of any plan, that is. Castiel came to see me, that much is true. But all he did was tell me about what’s been happening.”

“Go on…”

“That’s it, Sam. The guy left, then you came barging in and now we’re here. The end.”

The growl that Sam let out did nothing to ease Dean’s nerves.

“Why are you lying to me, Bobby? I thought we were family.”

“I’m not lying. I’m so sorry for what happened to you, boy… but you’re not Sam anymore. You’re all but an empty– ”

Dean could only watch in horror when two of Sam’s fingers plunged into Bobby’s temple. Which in itself had to be one of the weirdest things Dean had ever witnessed.

“Sam, stop it!” he found the voice to say once the shock wore off.

“Don’t worry, Dean. I’m just getting the information I need. He’s gonna be all right.”

Teeth clenched, Bobby wailed as Sam’s fingers wiggled in his brain. 

“Castiel wiped you clean, didn’t he?” Sam said again, not that he expected the old hunter to respond. 

Bobby slumped back on the couch, unconscious, the moment Sam took back his hand. Even though the operation hadn’t been a bloody one, he still wiped his fingers on his coat with a disgusted pout. “Man, I _hate_ doing this.”

“Then don’t,” Dean snarled without looking at him as he tried to move the passed out hunter in a more comfortable position. “You could have killed him.”

“Of course not, Dean. What do you take me for? I could never kill Bobby, he was like a father to me.”

“Well, you did kill our actual father so I wouldn’t bet on a surrogate to be safe.”

“How about you, Dean? Do you know where in time Cas could have gone?”

“What makes you think that’s what he did? He’s told me over and over he wouldn’t interfere. I’d think he’s back in Heaven, chillin with his angel buddies.”

“So you’re telling me you guys didn’t concoct a plan to _take me down_ in that little dream of yours?”

“We talked about it all and I decided I’d do it. Told you as much when I woke up, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did…”

Sam got up from the sofa and closed the distance between him and Dean.

“Stay the hell away from me,” Dean said in a hiss, knowing what was to come. 

He tried to move away but found himself stuck. His heart sped up to an alarming rate as Sam lifted his hand to graze two fingers against his temple. The pain of Sam invading his mind was like nothing he’d ever endured, even after being in Hell. He felt Sam’s fingers as they entered his brain and started prodding around. All he could hear were his own screams and some sort of static noise buzzing inside his own skull.

Until it all went black.

When Dean came back to himself, it was from a large hand slapping his face. Startled, he tried to throw a punch. But before he could hit anything, strong arms immobilized him and Bobby’s voice resonated low in his ear.

“Cool it, boy, it’s just me… Calm down!”

Almost immediately, Dean relaxed and stopped writhing. Bobby relented his hold only slightly. “You good? You’re not gonna try and clock me again?”

“Yeah… no… I’m fine,” the younger man said, hanging his head low. “Sorry, Bobby… I thought– ”

“Don’t worry about it,” Bobby said, letting Dean go free.

Dean opened his eyes and looked around to find they were alone. “Where’s Sam?”

Dean’s phone rang before Bobby could answer. Seeing his brother’s name on the narrow screen, he flipped the device open.

“Sammy?”

“Dean, where the hell are you? I’ve been trying to call you all day. Are you back on the road?”

“Nah, man… long story…” He cleared his throat, hoping his brother wouldn’t notice anything wrong. “What’s up?”

Sam seemed hesitant but relented, choosing not to push the issue. “Nothing, that’s why I was trying to call you. I can’t find a way to track that demon down, man. I tried to call Dad but he must still be pissed at me, he’s not answering. You may wanna try calling him yourself.”

Only for a second did Dean consider telling his little brother about their father’s demise. But if he did that, he’d have to say how, and why, it happened. And that wasn’t something he felt he should burden the kid with. Not yet anyway.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll try,” he said instead. “Thanks for trying to help though. I’ll get back on the road in the morning and I’ll go find Dad, okay?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Sammy, I’m sure. Just… do your stuff, all right? I’ll call you later.”

Without waiting for his brother to answer, Dean hung up and put the phone back in his pocket.

“You did the right thing, Dean. No need troubling him with all this crap,” Bobby said next to him. “Hell, Sam shouldn’t see himself like that.”

“Because of some sort of space-time continuum thing?”

Bobby sent a confused look to Dean. “No, you idjit… it would just suck balls. Imagine seeing a much older version of yourself and he has gone dark.”

“Yeah… I kinda did once,” Dean replied, partly offended. “But I get your point. Now what?”

The air shifted in the room and the older Sam popped up in the living room again. “We still got an hour and a half before go time… wanna play charades?”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The more the merrier…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yup… the end is near, my friends… I would have liked to finish the story with 30 chapters, but it might be more like 29… 
> 
> So… yeah… prepare to say your goodbyes, I guess. Not to me (I HOPE) but to this one story. I think I’ve tortured them enough, didn’t I (well… the story’s not done so I guess I’m not done with the torturing just yet), but their sufferings are coming to an end… as are yours! lol
> 
> I hope this next chapter satisfies you… and I’ll you tomorrow my lil' bunches of candied apples! <3

Both Bobby and Dean had their mouths agape as they watched the old Sam act out something in bold, erratic gestures. Sam would flap his arms up and down then let his emaciated form fall back on the purple couch. And he’d get back on his feet to do it again, encouraging his _friends_ to try and guess the solution.

“You’re a damn bird!” Bobby said at some point, hoping Sam would stop. Instead, it made him even more enthusiastic.

“Not quite,” he said with a maniacal laughter, flapping his arms even harder and falling again on the couch.

Dean knew what his brother wanted them to guess, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Come on, Dean… I know you know this.”

“No, I don’t,”

Flap. Flap. Boom. “Yeah, you do.” Flap. Flap. Boom.

“The Angel Fall, all right? Happy now?” Dean finally spat, the words like acid on his tongue.

“Bravo! I knew you’d get it… Your turn,” Sam said brightly as he sat down. “Phew, I haven’t exercised this much since my late forties. Those were good times.”

“I don’t wanna _play_ , Sam. Can’t we just… keep quiet until go time?”

“Suit yourself. Want me to send you back to sleep? You could say goodbye to your angel… again!”

“Thought you said he was gone.”

“Pretty sure he’s come back now. I could feel– ”

Sam didn’t finish, his expression turning hostile as he sent his fist flying into Bobby’s face.

“Sam, what the hell,” Dean yelled while Bobby held onto his nose and groaned. He didn’t have time to intervene before his brother punched him again. “Sam! Cut it out!”

This time, the punch had been enough to knock the older man out. He laid there unmoving, blood dripping from his nose and onto the brocade couch.

“That’ll teach him to try and pray to the angel. Not that I’m scared, but I like Cas… I wouldn’t want to have to kill him.”

The thought of trying to call on Castiel himself didn’t linger for long in Dean’s mind. He didn’t want his brother to kill the angel either. Instead he glanced at the clock, glad to see they’d be leaving in about forty-five minutes.

“I can’t believe you broke Bobby’s nose, man. You really don’t care about anything anymore, do you?”

“If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have bothered coming back to fix everything, would I?” Just like Dean had done, Sam looked at the clock and smiled. “It’ll soon be over, Dean. Are you excited? I’m excited.”

“What you are is dead.”

Both Dean and Sam jumped when a new voice echoed in the room. Near the front door stood Castiel and yet another Sam. Dean’s heart swelled up when he recognized the brother from his own time. “Sammy,” he said under his breath, almost shaking with relief.

“Hey, Dean,” Sam said, never looking away from his older self.

“Castiel, Castiel, Castiel,” the oldest Sam sing-songed as he walked towards the angel, holding his younger self’s stare. “Why did you have to go and do that?” he said as he lifted his angel sword high up.

But the fatal blow he had intended on giving him fell flat when he found the angel protected by some kind of force. He rolled his eyes and pursed his lips before addressing younger Sam. “You can’t do anything against me, kid.” Then he smirked. “Obviously, I can’t kill you ‘cause, well, I’d literally be killing myself. But don’t think I can’t incapacitate you.”

“I don’t think you can… see, I didn’t come here unprepared.”

2021-Sam lifted a hand and his older self flew back to land behind the golden couch. As he got back on his feet, 2045-Sam let out a maniacal laughter. Dean could only watch as _his_ Sam was propelled back to crash on the heavy wooden door.

“So you’ve decided to feast on the Book of the Damned too. I gotta say, I’m kind of proud right now. Except that this,” 2045-Sam waved a hand between the two them, “this can never be resolved if we’re hooked up on the same shit. You know that, right?”

2021-Sam pushed himself on his feet and smiled. “That book’s an interesting read, isn’t it?”

“It is… are you here so we can swap recipes or are we gonna fight?”

“What I’d love to do is talk you out of all that shit, but I know I can’t. You’re in way too deep, man.”

“You don’t know me, _boy_. You haven’t lost what I have. You didn’t get to see Lucifer wearing your son to the prom.” The smug look on his face turned into a disgusted pout. “And you certainly didn’t get to witness your _son_ killing his own mother.”

The brothers and the angel gasped at the revelation.

Dean was the first to speak. “Sam, why didn’t you– ”

“Does it change anything, Dean? Do you now think I’m entitled to some revenge? Wasn’t losing my son enough to justify the hurt?”

“Sam, that’s not what I’m saying at all. Whatever happened, I still don’t think it’s okay for you to use the book.” He turned to the younger version of his brother. “And it’s not right for you either. That…” He pointed to 2045-Sam. “ _That’s_ what waiting for you if you don’t quit this shit right now.” He then turned to Castiel. “And you… I can’t believe you let him do this.”

When neither Sam nor Castiel responded, Dean would have liked to throw a bitch fit but a thick fog clouded his mind again. He couldn’t find it in himself to try and fight it and let leaned back on the couch. All he could do was watch as the two versions of his brother stared at one another. The next second, Castiel appeared on the other side of Bobby and healed him.

“What the hell?” the hunter said in a raspy voice as he woke up. With tired eyes, he looked at Dean then at Castiel before noticing the showdown going down in the room. “Balls!” he spat as he recognized Sam; younger than the bearded one but still older than the one he knew.

He turned to Dean. “2021?”

“Yup,” Dean said with a chuckle and hooded eyes. Suspicious, Bobby turned to Castiel. “Is he drunk? He looks drunk.”

“Older Sam… well… older _older_ Sam, must be maintaining him in some sort of ebriated state, yes. He wasn’t like that a minute ago.”

“And what about them?” Bobby asked again, trying to keep his voice as low as possible.

“I would think it’s only a matter of minutes now. They harboured their powers from the same source but the motivations are different. I believe the outcome should be in our favor.”

As if on cue, a carved blade materialized in 2021-Sam’s hand. “Last chance to let it all go, Sam. I know you’re hurt, believe me, but you should know by now that revenge never amounts to anything good.”

“How can you not see it? It has nothing to do with revenge. If we do this, Jessica won’t die. Chris won’t be born. You won’t be hunting ever again…”

“I made my peace with Jessica’s passing a long time ago. Or with the family business. It’s who I am… it’s who _we_ are.”

“No it’s not, and you know it. If the Sam from this time was here, he’d tell you.”

“He’s not in love… not yet… all he’d see is his future and how evil _he_ has become. I wouldn’t be surprised to see want to end it all before he could ever turn into you.”

2045-Sam chuckled. “Oh, we wouldn’t want that now, would we? Tell me, _Sam…_ what’s so great in _your_ life that you wouldn’t want it to change?”

For the first time since his arrival, 2021-Sam eyes shifted to the brocade couch. Castiel, Bobby, and Dean had expectant eyes on him. 

He smiled.

“Nothing,” he said as a blinding white light filled the room.

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had to be done…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, my sweets… only two to go after this one… I would have preferred to end with 30 chapters but what can I say… I guess 29 was the magic number after all. 
> 
> Even though this chapter may read like the end, it totally isn’t… Still got a little to say about it all… Loose strings and what not!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this… I know it a bit "anti-climatic" but, seriously, I did it kind of on purpose. I really went with the show’s habit of killing off the super villain in what seems like a too-easy of a way. (still not over Eve and how easy she had been to kill, among others.)
> 
> Anywho, thank you my loves to still be following me with this story. I’ll keep you all forever in my heart. (I know, I’m not done, but I still wanna love you… and I’m not giving you a choice in the matter) :P
> 
> See you tomorrow my lovely peeps.
> 
>  
> 
> .

When the brightness disappeared, a grim spectacle awaited the angel and hunters. The oldest Sam was sprawled on the floor with the other Sam’s iron blade sticking out of his heart. Finally able to move at will, Dean threw himself on the floor and crawled to his brother.

“No! Sam! Sammy!”

It didn’t matter that he had gone dark side, the dead man was still his baby brother. Even at sixty plus years. Dean couldn’t help his dinner climbing back up and only had time to turn away before chucking it all out. He had called it; magic food could never stay put.

A sympathetic hand soon fell on him and started rubbing circles on his back. “Let it out,” he heard Bobby say as another wave of nausea took him over. When he had nothing left to puke, he tried his best to calm down, Bobby’s hand still strong on his back.

“I’m fine,” he said in a croak before flinching away to turn back towards his brother’s corpse. Kneeling on the other side of the body was his own version of Sam, the one Castiel had gone and pulled back in time. Dean looked around the room, surprised to find the angel had left.

“Where’s Cas?” he asked, afraid for a second that he had been obliterated in the explosion of light.

“He left to get rid of the book,” Sam explained.

“How?”

“He thinks it’s best if we don’t know.”

Dean nodded and turned to Bobby. “Dad’s dead,” he only said.

“I know, son. Your angel told me as much. Don’t you worry, I’ll come up with something to tell you and your brother.”

“Thanks.”

He turned again to Sam, the living one. “How ‘bout you? The book’s not making you crazy and shit?”

“Nah… I only took what I needed from it. And Cas promised to wipe my memory of everything I’ve learned.”

“Right…” Dean looked at the clock and saw that it was already eleven forty. “What about Azazel? We let him live?”

Before Sam or Bobby could answer, Dean heard the distinctive flutter of Castiel’s wings. 

“I’ll bring you where you need to go, Dean.”

“Really? Isn’t that against the rules?”

Castiel didn’t answer but scowled at the hunter’s derisive tone, making him chuckle. “All right, sorry. So… will you be bringing Sam and I to our own time then?”

“I don’t think keeping either of you here would be a good idea. Thankfully, I learned the spell to separate you from your younger body before I… hmm… destroyed the book.”

Bobby cleared his throat. “You’ll be sending me back home, right?”

“Of course.”

“And what about me… the other me?” Sam asked, unable to pry his eyes from his future self.

“I think you should decide what would be best. I can send him back to 2045. He’ll still be dead but he’ll be in his right time.”

Sam finally looked away only to lock his eyes onto his brother’s. “I think we should bring him back to Bobby’s and… give him a hunter’s funeral. Not saying he deserves it but– ”

“It’s all right, Sammy. I’d like that too,” Dean said with a feeble smile. He turned to Bobby who nodded in assent.

“It’s settled then,” Castiel announced. He approached the little group and made sure everyone had a hand on everyone and the next second, they were standing in Bobby’s salvage yard.

“What about Baby?” Dean said when he saw she hadn’t been brought over.

“Don’t worry, Dean. First, you and I are going to Arizona. When you’re done, we’ll go back and get your car. Are you okay with that?”

With pursed lips, Dean shrugged, even though what he really wanted to do was bitch about the Impala standing alone outside some creepy house.

“It’s time,” Castiel said. “You have the Colt?”

Dean took out the weapon from the inner pocket of his coat. “Let’s go kill ourselves a demon.”

But before they could leave, Sam put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Dean, you can’t go there unprepared,” he said as he sliced his palm with his switchblade. Without another word, Sam dipped his finger in his own blood and brought it to Dean’s forehead.

“What– ” Dean started to say, only to be shushed by his brother. He obeyed, unable to hold back a disgusted pout as he felt Sam’s wet finger travel all over his face. He closed his eyes when Sam started chanting and the blood on his face made his face tingle.

“Azazel won’t feel or see you now.”

“Huh… thanks.” Dean leaned to look at himself in nearby car’s mirror. There were no traces of Sam’s blood. “Sucks that you won’t remember how to do this, it’d be awesome for hunting.”

Sam only had time to smile before Castiel grabbed Dean by the shoulder. The hunter felt a tumble in his gut as their surroundings changed. The bedroom in which they landed was dark, the moon shining only bright enough for them to see it was indeed a child’s room. As he spotted the baby monitor on the dresser next to the crib, Dean brought a finger to his lips so Castiel would keep quiet. But the angel did better than that and flew away, leaving the hunter alone.

He almost cursed out loud but stopped himself just in time. He looked around, trying to find somewhere to hide, forgetting he didn’t have to. He ended up walking in the closet, leaving the door open by nothing more than a sliver. Or maybe a little more than that, just enough so the barrel of the gun would fit through. Now, all he had to do was wait.

For a second, he wondered if he shouldn’t have drawn a devil’s trap next to the crib but Azazel materialized in the room before he could do anything about it. From behind the door, Dean saw the dark figure lean over the crib, murmuring unintelligible things to the kid. Goosebumps pebbled his skin as he aimed the Colt at the demon’s head and fired. 

It was as if time slowed down. The moment between Dean pulled the trigger and the bullet hit its target felt like hours. The enraged cry that resonated in the room should have been enough to wake up the whole house, if not the neighborhood, but it somehow didn’t. Dean walked out of the closet as Azazel fell to his knees with crackling flames consuming him from the inside out.

“How?” the demon hissed through the pain, looking around but unable to find his attacker. Dean didn’t bother answering and soon the man was just a man again; a dead man, but a man nonetheless. 

Dean heard the kid gurgling and went to the crib. With a sigh, he wiped a drop of blood from the smiling baby’s face with his thumb.

“You should be okay now,” he said to the child, sincerely hoping it would be the truth.

 

 

_ To be continued… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .
> 
> Guys, I KNOW the Book of the Damned cannot be destroyed. They all know it… But this is Cas trying to lie (you saw the hesitation, right?).
> 
> I told Cas not to tell the boys what he did with the book, but I trust that you guys won’t tell anyone. He’s dropped the book in Mount Erebus’ gaping mouth, in Antartica. I would imagine a demon wouldn’t really care about the book to be inside an active volcano, but their borrowed bodies probably would.
> 
> So yeah, that’s where the book’s at… for now, I guess. Clearly, someone will find it someday. But the boys may not be there to tell that story when it happens! ;)
> 
> Why didn’t Cas send it flying into space? I really don’t know… but when you think that Crowley apparently owns the moon, I doubt it’d be such a good idea anyway! :p loll


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adios… always the adios!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m a little emotional, I gotta say… 
> 
> And I’m at a loss for words… I think I’ll have more to say tomorrow, when I post the last chapter.
> 
> For now, I’ll let you "enjoy" the last of Dean’s voyage into 2003. Sam too, but Dean’s been there for a bit longer and, frankly, he’s got a whole lot more to lose if you ask me.
> 
> See you back in 2021 my sweet cherry tomatoes! (don’t ask me why I call you food stuff… I just like to… and I’m a bit hungry, I think I’ll go prepare supper now)
> 
> Bon appétit! :P
> 
>  
> 
> .

Bobby and Sam had already started working on a pyre when Dean and Castiel came back with the Impala. Dean would have liked to help them but Castiel’s hand on his wrist kept him away. He hadn’t thought the time would come so soon.

“Jimmy wanted me to thank you,” Castiel said after a while, his eyes on the wood structure being erected. “He knows how much of a sacrifice this is for you, losing the man you loved.”

“Love, Cas. Not _loved_ …” Dean hung his head low and exhaled. “And I don’t think I’ll ever stop.”

“You seem to be forgetting how time travel works.”

Dean huffed, glowering at the angel. “It’s not like I have a degree in that shit.” Even though, in some way, he felt like he should. He had been hurled through time often enough for that.

“No, you wouldn’t. But I still thought you had realized that when you go back to 2021, your memories will catch up with your contemporary self. You may remember the previous timeline but not for long. In a matter of minutes, you will forget it all.”

Dean pushed himself off the car, making Castiel let go of him. “That’s impossible, Cas. I _can’t_ forget you. And even if I do forget everything, what good will it do? Does it mean Sam and I will repeat the same mistakes all over again? Did we do all this for nothing, Cas?”

Alerted by Dean’s vociferations, Sam and Bobby stopped working to find their friends had come back already. “Dean!” Sam yelled as he trotted up to him. “Did everything go okay?”

But Dean couldn’t have cared less about Azazel at that moment. “We won’t remember, Sam… I won’t remember.”

“Won’t remember what?”

“Everything… Hell, the Trials, Gadreel, the Mark, all that shit we’ve gone through. No lesson learned, man.”

Sam cleared his throat as he looked at the angel. “How about Cas?”

“I thought I’d at least have the memories of…” Dean sent a pleading gaze to the angel. “Can’t you just come and see me anyway? The other me? He’s gonna love you, I know he will. Maybe not now, but someday for sure.”

With a soft smile, Castiel went back into the hunter’s personal space, joining their foreheads together. Not wanting to intrude, or witness actually, Sam went back to help build the pyre.

“Dean, we promised Jimmy,” Castiel murmured, his breath a ghost on the hunter’s lips.

“I know… but I didn’t think…” Dean took a deep breath and gave the angel a half-hearted smile. “Are you sure you can’t change that? I still remember that Titanic-less universe, you know. You let Sam and I remember that. Can’t you just– ”

“Dean, please…”

“But we changed the future. And… and Bobby… he’s not gonna forget, he’s like you, right? He’s from this time so he could get it all going, explain who you are, what you are to me?”

“Bobby will remember, indeed, as from now on his timeline is forever changed. He may even be alive when you get back. And if it is written, we might know each other still. If I can, I’ll come back to you, all right?”

“Promise?”

Castiel couldn’t bare the thought of letting the hunter down so he didn’t promise. Instead, he closed his eyes and brushed his lips over Dean’s. It was soft and neither of them seemed willing to deepen the kiss, content in basking one another’s warmth for what could be the last time.

Until Dean’s body stiffened and he tried to move away. “What about Heaven? When I get to Heaven, will I remember my old life, and you?”

Again, rather than answering, Castiel caught the hunter’s lips with his, this time with more intent. Soon the question was, if not forgotten, set aside. They kissed and held each other for God knows how long, up until they heard Bobby call on them.

“Guys, we’re ready… You comin’?”

Hand in hand, the angel and the hunter walked towards the wood pile. On top of it lied the 2045 version of Sam Winchester, wrapped in white linen. Noticing the weird shape of the body, Dean sent a confused look to his brother.

“Dad’s in there too… Cas brought his body earlier.”

“While you were waiting for Azazel, I went back to the house,” Castiel explained to an emotional Dean.” Your… 2045-brother had brought the body back to the mansion.” Dean smiled at the angel and leaned to kiss him on the cheek, his heart heavy with love and gratitude.

The base of the pyre had been doused in gasoline and it took all but one minute for the whole structure to be aflamed. The heat and smoke made the fabric puff and flutter, an eerily beautiful sight in the orange hue of the flames. 

The four of them knew _this_ Sam hadn’t been right, that he had been just as deserving of death as the monsters they hunted. Yet they couldn’t hold the mist from clouding their eyes. And it wasn’t only because of John Winchester’s body lying close to him.

The fire was still burning strong, the shroud singed into their burned flesh, when Castiel softly tugged on Dean’s hand.

“It’s time,” he said, loud enough for the others to hear.

Bobby turned to 2021-Sam to take him in his arms. The younger man melted into the hold of the man he had lost so many years ago, silently praying he’d be alive when he got back to his own time.

Castiel let Dean’s hand go when Bobby evaded Sam’s hold then turned to Dean. They hugged too, Dean unknowingly wishing the same thing his brother just had. When they let each other go, Bobby turned to Castiel and held his right hand out.

“Glad to have met you, boy. If only for Dean’s sake, I wish it’s not the last we see of you.”

Castiel shook the offered hand. “And it was an honor to meet you, Bobby Singer. If I can come back, you may be the first to know.” Then he turned to Sam.

“Sam?”

Understanding, Sam approached the angel who put a hand on his forehead. “I know you should be forgetting everything once you’re back to your own time but, I can’t take any chances,” he said as his palm started to glow.

“I know,” Sam said with a smile as the magic he had gobbled up was erased from his brain.

“How do you feel?” Castiel asked after he was done.

Sam shrugged. “Huh… a bit hungover, like I got chunks of time missing?”

“Totally normal. The feeling should go away when you’re back home.”

Before Castiel could send him away, Sam engulfed the shorter man in his arms. “I hope to see you again, Cas,” he said before vanishing into thin air. 

“Now you,” Castiel said as he turned to Dean.

Even though he tried real hard to keep a straight face, his red-rimmed eyes betrayed how scared and hurt he really was.

“What if I stayed? I don’t care if I live my life all over again. What do you say, huh?” he said, uselessly trying to negotiate some more time with the angel, even though he really wasn’t _his_.

“Dean, lets not make it more difficult than it is, all right? Think of how short lived your pain will be.”

“I don’t care about the pain. Not remembering you will be a thousand times worse.”

This time, Castiel didn’t reply and just smiled as he sent a gentle hand to Dean’s face.

“No, it won’t… Goodbye, Dean Winchester.”

 

 

_ To be continued… _


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is finally back in 2021.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, my lovelies. This is the end. You’ll see that it’s almost twice as long as the other chapters so MAYBE I could have made in to 30 chapters in all but… I wouldn’t have known where to cut so… you just get a longer read.
> 
> So… yay?
> 
> And… I HAD to add something about what happened this week… I just had to, it’s such a pivotal moment, it deserved a place in the sun. (if you haven’t already guessed what I’m referring to, you’ll get it when you see it).
> 
> I only hope this will be satisfactory… even though I did add a little "angst" factor in there… I agree, it wasn’t really necessary but… it kind of was too… story wise… you know… drama… 
> 
> Now, I think I’ll go sleep for a bit while you guys read… 
> 
> Again, I thank you so very much… for reading, commenting, kudoing, rec'ing, being… just, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You guys are just the best.
> 
> See you soon for another adventure! xx <3
> 
>  
> 
> .

When Dean opened his eyes, he was only half surprised to find himself in his bed. The one in the bunker that had been his, then his and Castiel’s, then only his again. For a second, he feared it was all a dream so he shut his eyes and sent a prayer to the angel. If it was indeed a dream, he would come to him.

He opened his eyes to find the room empty still. So, maybe he was back and Castiel had kept his promise and left Jimmy alone. His heart sank at the realization that he had, in fact, lost the love of his life. This time, when he closed his eyes, it was in the hope the memories would fade already.

“Dean,” the hunter heard, making his eyes fly open.

Standing at the door was the Castiel he had known and loved, still wearing Jimmy’s body. Mouth agape, he could only watch as he came to sit on the bed with him.

“Are you feeling okay?”

His mouth too dry to speak, Dean nodded before grabbing Castiel in a hug. As he did, a piercing pain shot through his brain. 

_He wakes up at Bobby’s, not remembering how he got there. Bobby doesn’t explain, instead tells him his Dad has died. But at least, he took the demon who killed his mom with him._

He let out a pained moan as Castiel held him tighter.

“Don’t fight it, baby. You’ll be okay.”

“What?” he said through the gravel in his throat.

“The whole process should take about an hour, but it’ll hurt less and less. Or you’ll just get used to it… I’m not sure…”

“What are– ” Dean tried to say but another acute spasm erupted in his skull.

_Sam and Jessica are both wearing their Academic dresses when Sammy asks her to marry him. They’re beaming and crying as she says yes. Dean, along with Bobby, Ellen, and Jo applause… and laugh… and cry._

For a moment, Dean wondered if he had lost consciousness because he couldn’t remember when his head had landed on Castiel’s lap. The angel, or man, had a hand in his hair, softly massaging the scalp.

“Human or angel?” he asked between ragged breaths.

“It’ll all come to you, Dean… don’t speak, all right?”

“I… I wanna… I need…” Another whine. “Please…”

“Human.”

“Where’s Jimmm– aaaaaah!”

_Dean and Jo look at each other, trying to keep a straight face as Bobby tells them angels are actually a thing. Except they don’t find it funny anymore when a dishevelled man in a trenchcoat appears in the room. The first thing Dean notices is how his eyes are blue, and how kind they are, and… loving?_

“You… you… promised.”

“Jimmy’s fine, Dean. This is my own body, a favor Gabriel has granted me with.”

Dean nodded, too tired to try and do anything else. He kept his eyes closed, Castiel’s somewhat cool palm soft on his sweaty forehead. When a new wave of memories washed over him, he let out a pained moaned.

_Dean is sobbing in his brother’s arms. Ellen is doing the same in Jessica’s. Bobby isn’t doing any better as he lights up the pyre. Goodbye Joanna Beth Harvelle._

“Jo,” Dean croaked, his face now damp with tears. But he didn’t have time to linger on his grief because it felt like a dam had broken in his mind.

_Jessica is magnificent in her white dress, her seven-month belly protruding in front of her. Dean can’t hold a tear when he sees his brother’s awestruck expression. His heart swells with pride when he thinks of Sam and how he’s made it out of the life. Dean would rather die than let him come back to it._

_It takes Dean a while to realize he has been poisoned by a djinn. Not only are his parents alive but he himself is in what looks like a committed relationship. With a dude… and not any dude… Castiel, the angel Bobby introduced him to a while back. And even though it’s weird, it’s also comforting, feels right. So right in fact that dream-Castiel is almost successful at convincing him to stay._

_Since the djinn, seeing Castiel in the flesh is making Dean’s heart flutter. Would it be anyone else, he’d be telling them to just get out of his space, but he doesn’t. Instead he makes sure they’re never more than a few inches apart. And even though he misses Jo a great deal, he couldn’t be more glad to have the angel at his side when he hunts._

_It’s Dean who makes the first move one night after a particularly gruesome hunt. He’s covered in blood and guts, just like Castiel, but all he can think of is how the angel looks beautiful. Without a word, he pushes the trenchcoat off of his friend’s shoulder. A minute later, they’re both naked and heading for the shower._

_Their first real fight happens when Castiel chooses to become human without consulting with Dean. Mostly because Dean believes the angel shouldn’t give up power and eternity on his account. It takes a teary-eyed Castiel to explain how he can’t entertain the thought of living after Dean’s gone for him to accept it. For the first time in maybe forever, Dean tells someone he loves them._

_Henry Winchester tumbles out of the closet in Dean’s bedroom. Bobby seems to know how this is happening and he’s ready for whatever comes out next. He traps and cuts up the cute redhead that follows, but not without casualties. She’s buried somewhere in the salvage yard. As for Henry, he gets the hunter’s funeral he very well deserved._

_Dean and Bobby are introduced to the Men of Letters. Bobby is excited but it’s Dean who feels like he belongs in that place, even without being much of a literary person. He thinks about Sam and how he would probably fit in this place too. But it’s Castiel he takes with him to live in the Bunker._

_On June 26, 2015, the very minute after the news break, Dean is on a conference call with Bobby, and Ellen, and Sam, and Jess. ‘We’ll be getting married in Sioux Falls,’ he announces, holding Castiel’s hand tightly in his._

_Jody Mills is officiating the ceremony while her husband is playing Led Zeppelin’s_ Thank you _on his acoustic guitar. Dean only has eyes for Castiel, so handsome in his rented tux. He’s used to seeing him in a suit, something he likes to wear for some reason, but this one looks much better._

“How are you holding on, baby?” Castiel’s voice was soothing, like the hands he rubbed on his back.

Dean didn’t get to wonder how they came to be lying on the bed before a new set of memories made him whimper.

_The man in front of him says he’s named Crowley. Insists in the fact that they were friends once. Dean knows he’s lying, the stench of sulfur so strong it almost makes him gag. He could never associate himself with a demon. With his angel blade raised – a wedding gift from Gabriel – he has to see Cas come to stand between him and Crowley. “Don’t,” he just says. “He’s on our side.”_

_Makeup sex is, in Dean’s opinion, the best sex he and his husband can ever have. Not that he’d want to fight with him on purpose to get it. But after the whole Crowley debacle, finding each other again is like the sweetest thing ever. Most of all, Dean loves when Cas plays it as if he wants to teach him a lesson. So the sex is hard, and raw, animalistic. Nobody gets hurt, not really… And when they’re done, all Dean wants is more._

As the new memories flowed in, the previous ones were erased. At some point, Dean started to wonder why his head hurt so much. The erratic beating of his heart almost convinced him he was having a heart attack. But the more scared he was, the more his husband held him tight, rocking him as he hummed some sweet melody.

“Shhh, baby, it’s almost over,” Castiel whispered, his lips brushing on the shell of Dean’s ear.

“What… what’s wrong with me?” the hunter said around the lump in his throat.

“Nothing… just a bit of fever. You’ll be better soon.”

Dean nodded, keeping his eyes closed. The throb in his head was too intense to keep them open, even if the room was on the darker side. Castiel’s hand rubbing his back helped his heart and breathing come down to a more regular rhythm. When he finally fell asleep, it was to the ephemeral image of an old man lying on the floor with a bloody knife in his heart.

 

**◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊**

 

“What’s for breakfast?” Dean asked as he entered the kitchen.

Sitting at the table, Castiel huffed and shrugged. “Breakfast was hours ago, Dean.”

“I’d think waiting for _me_ to have breakfast should be a highlight of your day.”

This time, Castiel took his eyes off of the tablet he’d been reading on and smiled. “Everyday with you is a highlight in itself, baby. I don’t need anything more than that.”

Dean laughed as he leaned down to kiss his husband. “Good morning,” he said with hooded eyes. “Found something interesting for us?”

“There seems to be something ghost related in Bridgeport, NY. It’s worth checking out, I think.”

“New York, huh?” Dean sat next to Castiel, leaning on him to take a look at the screen. “Maybe we could stop by Sam and Jess’ on our way back. Haven’t seen the kids in too long.”

“Dean, we see them online pretty much everyday.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same. I’m not worried for Matt to remember us, he’s old enough… but Mary’s barely two. We gotta see her as much as we can.”

Castiel laughed, Dean’s breath tickling his neck. “You know I’ll be glad to see them too. But… I thought we could use this case to take some time for ourselves.”

“Ah yeah?”

Castiel nodded, a cheeky smile on his lips. “I sort of already went ahead and booked us a room in this hotel in Bridgeport. It’s directly on the beach, I thought you’d like that.”

Realization dawned on Dean as Castiel spoke. “Oh shit… it’s gonna be six years now, won’t it?”

“Almost to the date.” Castiel turned to kiss his husband on the lips. “The best six years of my life.”

“What about the three before that?”

“All right… the best _nine_ years of my life.”

“And the best nine years of mine…” Dean said before kissing his husband back. “I was made for lovin’ you, baby,” he then sang, quite awfully, making Castiel laugh again.

“And I was made for loving you,” Castiel sang even though he knew the words weren’t right.

Except that, all things considered, they really were right.

 

 

_ The End _

**Author's Note:**

> Non-beta’d like I often do ’cause I like to think I’m a rebel.
> 
> Please do not hesitate to leave comments… I’d love to read your thoughts. :D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> Oh… and the title is from Iron Maiden’s song of the same name, Remember tomorrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fx_SuGJ0Ag


End file.
